Brett Favre was concerned about public knowledge that he received federal funding for personal projects and hoped to keep that information “confidential,” according to text messages the Hall of Fame quarterback wrote that are included in the latest presentation on his legal battle with Mississippi and the state. Auditor Shad White.
‘Is it the public perception that I became a spokesperson for various shelters, schools, homes, etc. funded by the state… and I was compensated with money from the state?’ Favre asked in the text message included in Mississippi’s submission and provided to DailyMail.com. Or we can keep this confidential.
As White explained in a Twitter thread on Monday, the text messages are significant because they purportedly show that Favre “knew he was receiving ‘grant’ money meant to benefit people in ‘funded shelters, schools, homes, etc. For the state'”.
‘In other words,’ White wrote, ‘the poor.’
Favre has filed defamation lawsuits against White and two former NFL players turned media personalities, Fox Sports’ Shannon Sharpe and podcaster Pat McAfee, over allegations that he knowingly used welfare funds on personal projects, such as developing of a concussion drug in which the Packers legend was reversed.
Brett Favre (left) was concerned about public knowledge that he received federal funding for personal projects and hoped to keep that information “confidential,” according to text messages the Hall of Fame quarterback wrote that are included in the latest presentation in his legal battle with Mississippi and state auditor Shad White (right)
In a text message, Favre asked about the “brick and mortar problem,” which the filing describes as his attempt to circumvent rules that prohibit the use of welfare funds on construction projects, such as the volleyball stadium in Southern Miss
Favre, 53, has not been charged in the $77 million welfare fraud case, which has already led to several guilty pleas, and has repaid the $1.1 million he received for no-shows and performance announcements. radio.
However, in December, Mississippi issued a new $5 million lawsuit as part of its lawsuit against Favre, saying he used anti-poverty funds to pay for a volleyball stadium at his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.
Last week, the Mississippi Department of Human Services ordered a state judge to ignore Favre’s request to be removed from the civil lawsuit seeking to recover poorly spent welfare money.
The scandal is the largest public corruption case in Mississippi history and involves the squandering of millions in federal welfare on projects supported by some of the state’s wealthiest and best-connected citizens, including Favre.
Favre’s lawyers, including former Donald Trump attorney Eric Herschmann, have argued that the Department of Human Services is suing their client to deviate from its own negligence for failing to detect the fraud as it occurred. Favre’s defense team has filed a couple of motions urging the judge to fire Favre.
The department’s attorney, Kaytie Pickett, responded by characterizing the requests as a “long press release” and a “rant” that “the court should ignore.”
Favre’s lawyers did not immediately respond to DailyMail.com’s request for comment.
This is a Friday, September 16, 2022 photo of the volleyball courts at the University of Southern Mississippi Wellness Center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The field was built with the help of a $5 million grant from the TANF program
The Department sued Favre and more than three dozen other individuals and companies last year.
In the filing, the department claims $5 million was wasted on a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, where Favre’s daughter was playing the sport at the time, and another $1.7 million to develop the concussion drug.
So far, the former director of the Department, John Davis, as well as the non-profit organizer, Nancy New, have pleaded guilty to criminal charges.
Although he was paid for radio spots and no-show appearances, Favre has maintained that he did not know where the funds came from.
But White has insisted that’s not the case, pointing to recent filings in the state lawsuit to contradict Favre’s defense.
In a text message, Favre asked about the “brick and mortar problem,” which the filing describes as his attempt to circumvent rules that prohibit the use of welfare funds on construction projects, such as the volleyball stadium in Southern Miss.
The Mississippi lawsuit against Favre came less than two weeks after a mother and son, who ran a nonprofit group and an education business in Mississippi, pleaded guilty to state criminal charges for improper spending. Nancy New (left), 69, and Zachary New (right), 39, have agreed to testify against others
John Davis, former director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, leaves the Thad Cochran United States Courthouse in Jackson on September 22. Davis pleaded guilty to new federal charges in a conspiracy to waste tens of millions of dollars intended to help families in need. in one of the poorest states
But according to the state filing: “He secretly sought to obtain those funds for that purpose anyway.”
“Point is there are multiple exchanges where Favre stressed the need for secrecy,” White tweeted. ‘The national news has talked about how Favre said in a text that he did not want the media to find out. However, this was not a transitory and unique thought. He said it repeatedly.
In addition, White explained, the text messages show Favre’s awareness of potential legal issues.
‘Favre knew there were concerns about the legality of spending this money on a volleyball court. . . [a]and I knew it was necessary to get around those rules,’ White tweeted.
“Keep in mind this is the guy who is suing me for defamation for having the temerity to tell taxpayers the truth: that Favre knew he was being paid out of public funds and he knows this was a hoax.”
If the text messages prove Favre knowingly received federal welfare money earmarked for the state’s poor, White, Sharpe and McAfee could use that because the truth is an absolute defense in a defamation case.