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Not long ago this was mentioned but the details weren't as laid out as they are becoming now.........

NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre continued to press Mississippi state officials for help in paying for new sports facilities at the University of Southern Mississippi months after being told by then-Gov. Phil Bryant that the misuse of state welfare funds could be illegal, according to text messages in a court filing.

Favre, who has not been charged in Mississippi's massive welfare scandal, has said through attorneys that he did not know the origin of the funds.

On July 28, 2019, Bryant texted Favre that the founder of a nonprofit who paid him "has some limited control over Federal Funds in the form of Grants for Children and adults in the Low Income Community."

"Use of these funds [is] tightly controlled," Bryant wrote, according to the filing. "Any improper use could result in violation of Federal Law. Auditors are currently reviewing the use of these funds."

Still, Favre continued to push for the volleyball facility, according to the 62-page filing that objects to a subpoena for the former governor's documents in a lawsuit stemming from the state scandal.

According to the filing, Favre texted Bryant on Sept. 4, 2019, after a meeting they and others had to discuss requesting an additional $1.8 million to $2 million for programs at the new facility.

"We obviously need your help big time and time is working against us," Favre wrote. "And we feel that your name is the perfect choice for this facility and we are not taking No for an answer! You are a Southern Miss Alumni, and folks need to know you are also a supporter of the University."

Bryant responded, according to the filing: "We are going to get there. This was a great meeting. But we have to follow the law. I am to[o] old for Federal Prison."

The Holmes Law Firm, which represents Favre, was not immediately available for comment.

A lawyer representing Bryant, Billy Quin, told ESPN that the filing shows that Favre "continued to press for state funds, first from DHS and later in a legislative appropriation."

"Bryant told Favre that any DHS expenditure would have to be approved by the state auditor," Quin said.

On Jan. 26, 2020, after Bryant had left office, Favre sought the former governor's help to obtain a legislative appropriation to cover his personal debt, according to the filing. The same day, Bryant told Favre in a text that he would reach out to then-Southern Miss president Rodney Bennett.

The next day, Favre texted Bryant that he had spoken with "Tate" -- current Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves -- and urged Bryant to continue pressing as well, according to the filing. Bryant also texted Bennett, who replied that he had "asked Brett not to do the things he's doing to seek funding from state agencies and the legislature."

"As you know, IHL [Mississippi's higher education system] has a process of how we request and get approval for projects and what he's doing is outside those guidelines," Bennett wrote. "I will see, for the 'umpteenth time' if we can get him to stand down. The bottom line is he personally guaranteed the project, and on his word and handshake we proceeded. It's time for him to pay up -- it really is just that simple."

Bryant responded: "Maybe he wants the state to pay off his promises. Like all of us I like Brett. He is a legend but he has to understand what a pledge means. I have tried many time[s] to explain that to him."

Favre is among the defendants in the state's civil lawsuit over misspent welfare funds. As first revealed in an investigation by Mississippi Today, state auditors determined that at least $77 million in welfare funds were misspent or stolen in the largest case of public fraud in state history.

Six people were arrested in February 2020. Most have pleaded guilty, including nonprofit founder Nancy New, who secured the funding for Favre's project, and John Davis, the former Mississippi Department of Human Services director. State Auditor Shad White has said civil and criminal investigations continue.

Bryant, who has not been charged with a crime, said in his filing that he did not know about efforts to divert state welfare money. He said he had offered to help Favre raise private donations and corporate sponsorships. The subpoena for his records, the filing said, "was brought in bad faith ... because he refused to turn a blind eye to the crimes perpetrated by New and Davis."

Bryant's filing said he "does not contend or imply that Favre violated applicable laws or that he did not perform promotional services for [the nonprofit]."

Favre, 52, repaid $1.1 million given to him by New's organization, but the state says he still owes interest on the debt totaling $228,000. The retired quarterback, a Southern Miss alumnus, has insisted that he did not know the source of money dedicated to the volleyball project.

Bryant's filing also says that Favre, in the text exchange on July 28, 2019, "expanded his request for MDHS funding" to include a new football facility to help lure Deion Sanders' son, highly sought quarterback Shedeur, to Southern Miss.

"As I suspected Deion's son asked where the indoor facility was and I said [we] don't have one but [we] are hoping to break ground in less than 2 years," Favre texted Bryant, according to the filing. "Now that will not happen without your help/commitment!!! I know we have the Vball to complete first and I'm asking a lot with that and I believe 100% that if you can get this done Nancy will reach and help many and in the recruiting war [a new indoor practice facility] will give USM['s football program] instant credibility and [USM football will] become relevant again."

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...told-legality-question-court-filing-says


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Cannot believe how little this has been covered in sports media. Brett Favre is trash.






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First I have heard of this.

To be honest I didn't really read the article because I don't really care. I am not saying this to make fun of the post or imply it isn't serious. Just another of those "Oh Well" stories....what else is new? Between this, WICK fraud, Covid fraud and numerous others it just becomes a non starter for me because it is a normal occurrence..


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There really needs to be an E60 on this...


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Originally Posted by Ballpeen
First I have heard of this.

To be honest I didn't really read the article because I don't really care. I am not saying this to make fun of the post or imply it isn't serious. Just another of those "Oh Well" stories....what else is new? Between this, WICK fraud, Covid fraud and numerous others it just becomes a non starter for me because it is a normal occurrence..

And you know what? I understand that. Which is a sad state of affairs. We live in a world where fraud, lies and deceit run rampant and the things that only a couple of decades ago would have shocked us now seem normal and mundane.


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Just another example of why politicians, pro athletes, and entertainers shouldn’t be idolized by their fans. Some begin to think they are above the law.


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And now that aware, it doesn't sound like Favre was asking for illegal funds. He was simply pressing to get funding.


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From what I've seen thus far he knew that the funds given were very questionable and possibly illegal but didn't care. I don't know how that it is illegal but I think it speaks volumes.


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j/c

Brett Favre told Mississippi governor he would not ‘take No for answer’ over volleyball stadium, court filing shows

The Pro Football Hall of Famer is alleged to have pressured then-Gov. Phil Bryant for millions in taxpayer funds to build a volleyball center at a school where Favre's daughter competed, according to a court filing.

Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, suspected of pressuring Mississippi state officials to spend millions in federal welfare funds on a volleyball center at the school where his daughter played the sport, warned the former governor “we are not taking No for an answer,” newly released text messages in a court filing show.

“We obviously need your help big time and time is working against us. And we feel that your name is the perfect choice for this facility,” Favre texted then-Gov. Phil Bryant on Sept. 4, 2019 about funding the volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi’s main campus in Hattiesburg.

“We are not taking No for an answer! You are a Southern Miss Alumni, and folks need to know you are also a supporter of the University,” he added.

“We are going to get there,” Bryant, a Republican, texted back. “This was a great meeting. But we have to follow the law. I am to(o) old for Federal Prison (smiley face, sunglasses emoji).”

This exchange is part of a series of text messages between Favre and Bryant that were filed Friday in Hinds County District Court by the ex-governor’s lawyer.

Bryant, who left office in 2020, says he had no idea that a plan was hatched to divert funds meant for needy families to a volleyball facility during a July 2017 meeting that included the legendary former Green Bay Packers quarterback, John Davis, then head of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, and Nancy New, founder of the nonprofit Mississippi Community Education Center, according to the court filing.

A previous court filing by New, who has pleaded guilty and is cooperating with investigators, alleged the opposite, saying: “The evidence suggests that (Mississippi Department of Human Services) Executives, including Governor Bryant, knew that Favre was seeking funds from MDHS to build the Volleyball Facility … and participated in directing, approving, or providing Favre MDHS funds to be used for construction of the Volleyball Facility.”

The exchanges between Favre and Bryant were released just days after Davis pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges and admitted doling out millions of taxpayer funds to two nonprofits which then awarded “contract to various entities and individuals for social services that were never provided.”

New and her son, Zach, pleaded guilty earlier to state charges of misspending public money that was supposed to be used to help residents of the nation’s poorest state climb out of poverty.

Both Davis and New are cooperating in the federal investigation of Mississippi’s welfare spending scandal.

Neither Bryant nor Favre have been hit with criminal charges, but the NFL great is a defendant in a civil suit brought by the state of Mississippi against more than 35 people and entities in a bid to recover the misspent funds.

Bryant’s lawyer released several text exchanges to show that the ex-governor pushed back at Favre’s efforts to secure the money.

“Use of these funds (is) tightly controlled,” Bryant texted Favre on July 28, 2019, according to the filing.

“As soon as we get approval we can move forward,” Bryant added in a subsequent text. “Without that approval any expenditure could be illegal and Nancy and USM could be made to repay the Federal Government any and all funds spent.”

In the filing, Bryant’s lawyers said New alerted Favre on Aug. 4, 2017, that she had “just got off the phone with Phil Bryant! He is on board with us! We will get this done!”

But, Bryant’s lawyers insisted, “New did not tell Governor Bryant that she and Davis had arranged to contribute $4 million in TANF funds to the project. She simply explained that she was helping Favre gain university approval of the project and it appeared the university would ultimately approve it.”

NBC News has previously reported that Bryant was involved in discussions with Davis and Favre about securing millions of dollars for the volleyball facility. Favre also secured $3.2 million for a drug company in which he had invested, according to court records.

New distributed the money in consultation with Davis and Bryant, the records showed.

Favre has also denied wrongdoing through his lawyer, who acknowledged that the ex-Packer has been interviewed by the FBI. There is no indication Favre is a target of the investigation, and he says he did not know the state grants came from federal welfare funds.

Bryant “very emphatically says he still doesn’t know of anything that Bret did wrong,” Favre's lawyer Bud Holmes said Monday, referencing the court filing. He added that Favre behaved honorably and never knew the state grants he was seeking were from the federal welfare program.

Also, Favre has paid back $1.1 million that was given to him directly, but the state auditor says he still owes $228,000 in interest.

Messages released earlier this month, however, revealed that Favre sought reassurances from New that the public would never learn he was seeking millions of dollars in grants that ultimately came from the Mississippi welfare agency.

“If you were to pay me is there anyway (sic) the media can find out where it came from and how much?” Favre wrote in an Aug. 2, 2017 text message to New that was included in the Friday filing.

“No, we never have had that information publicized,” New replied by text. “I understand you being uneasy about that though. Let’s see what happens on Monday with the conversation with some of the folks at Southern. Maybe it will click with them. Hopefully.”

“Ok thanks,” Favre texted back.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-new...f-opifX0JcJEdFWXcT70yVTzIIRxwAfWtAL9urao


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