Brett Favre text showing his role in Mississippi welfare scandal
Newly released text messages by NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre indicate he is far more involved than previously thought lobbying for millions of dollars in federal welfare to be diverted to helping poor families pay for the new volleyball facility at the school where his daughter plays the sport.
The messages, published in a court filing this week, also reveal Favre was trying to convince a nonprofit executive that the public would never know he was seeking millions of dollars in grants that ultimately came from Mississippi health agencies.
Favre has publicly stated that he had no idea the funds were welfare dollars and he believes he did nothing wrong. He had paid back the $1.1 million given to him directly, but state auditors said he still owed $228,000 in interest.
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NBC News first reported that the FBI questioned Favre about it, but there was no indication that Favre was the target of an FBI criminal investigation.
In July, Rep. Bennie Thompson, D.-Miss., asked the Justice Department to examine the role Favre and former Governor Phil Bryant played in the widespread welfare scandal.
Favre’s attorney, Bud Holmes, told NBC News that Favre was being “pretty honorable in every way” and that there was nothing extraordinary about the recently released text.
The welfare fund in question is part of the $86 million Mississippi provided annually by the federal government to lift families out of poverty. Mississippi is the poorest state in the country with nearly 200,000 children living below the poverty line.
The text messages were first reported by Mississippi Today and came to light Monday through a court filing in a civil case sparked by the largest public spending scandal in the state’s history. State auditors found $77 million in social funds spent in February 2020. The state filed a civil suit against 38 defendants.
According to text messages and court documents, the idea of diverting funds to volleyball facilities appears to have been discussed at a meeting in July 2017 involving Favre, John Davis, head of the Mississippi Welfare agency (known as the Department of Humanity). Services, DHS), and Nancy New, whose charity receives millions in state agency grants. New, Davis and Favre were indicted in a state civil suit.
The text messages, which are part of a case filed by New’s attorneys, do not prove that Favre knew the public fund in question was welfare.
Volleyball facilities are now complete at the University of Southern Mississippi, Favre’s alma mater.
Recently released text messages suggest that Bryant, a Republican, is far more involved in the project as governor than previously known. The texts show that he was actively working to get funding from Favre. On July 16, 2019, he texted New that he had just left a meeting with Favre, writing, “Can we help him with his project?”
An attorney for Davis declined to comment. Davis pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery and conspiracy.
New nonprofits should focus on running programs to help families in poverty. But New alleges in court documents that Davis and Bryant ordered him to spend millions of welfare funds distributing them to Davis’ friends and family as well as former professional wrestlers and Favre.
Following the July 2017 meeting, Favre thanked New for the installation’s first financial installment. “Nancy thanks again!!! John [Davis] mentions 4 million and I don’t know if I heard it right. It’s a huge problem and I can’t thank you enough.”
Four million dollars was not enough to complete the project. And to get the rest of the money needed, the text shows that Favre and New made a plan. He would immediately pay Favre $1.1 million in public funds and he would do some radio commercials. Then he said he would donate the money to a volleyball project.
“I might record some radio spots here at first. I’m sure here. See how it is received and what compensation can be given to USM,” Favre wrote.
New responded by jokingly suggesting compensation of “$4 million” with three smiley face emojis, “Just kidding,” he texted. “The first stage could be $500,000 and after September we can renew. This is a good approach. What do you think?”
Favre replied, “I just thought that was the way to go!”
New offers his son Zach New to draft a contract for Favre.
New and his son have both pleaded guilty to embezzling public funds meant to be used for impoverished Mississippi residents.
Over the next two years, as Favre communicated with New, text messages indicated he was concerned about the arrangement.
First, he was afraid he was too busy to do a radio spot. “My biggest concern is the time commitment so we can manage that I’m OK.”
New replied, “Don’t worry about your time. We can only imagine how many directions you have drawn. A few things here and there, scattered is enough.
At one point, Favre was worried that state payments would be announced to him.
“If you pay me, will the media be able to find out where it came from and at what price?”
“No, we never published that information,” Nancy replied via text message. “I understand that you are uncomfortable about this.”
In August, New confirmed that the then governor was in favor. “Wow, I just hung up on Phil Bryant! He’s fine with it, we’ll do it!
A few months later, in December 2017, Favre received New’s money and texted him. “Nancy Santa came today and gave some money,” he wrote, adding the two smiling faces. “Alhamdulillah. The promo should be installed immediately.
In March 2018, construction costs for a volleyball facility increased, and Favre seemed concerned the project was running out of money. He shared his concerns with New via text message.
A year later, he asked again, “Nancy, do you still believe you can cover $1.8 and that number will probably go down as we get closer.”
New replied, “At the meeting with John Davis now. He says we will bear a lot, but we may have to make payment. We are on the ship!
Often, text messages show Favre strategizing with New about how to ensure the money will come and how to get the governor to provide more funding. Did a phone call to the governor help? A meeting? A message? Favre texted New asking the governor for information on the “weekly” fund.
Favre said he had no idea the money was a welfare fund. The text messages show, however, that he understands the flow of money between the governor, New and Davis — the head of the state’s welfare agency, DHS, which is dedicated to improving the lives of poor children and families in the state.
Favre also seems to know New and Davis well, at one point in 2019, with more of a smiling face, “I love John so much, and so do you.”
At one point as Davis left DHS, Favre texted New: “Any news? Have you met the new director? »
In a statement on the released texts, a lawyer for Bryant, Billy Quin, said that the former governor agreed to produce the texts “even though he is not a party to the lawsuit,” and asked New’s attorney “to receive an injunction from the allow [texts] used in court with certain reasonable limitations. »
Bryant’s lawyer said the cases should be tried in court, not in the media. “It seems that New’s attorney would rather try his client’s case than the first one.”
Asked about Favre’s concern that the public would find out he was receiving a state grant, Favre’s lawyer, Bud Holmes, said Favre “just doesn’t need the publicity” and thinks “It would be unwelcome to receive money from a program. ”
Holmes said Favre initially offered to appear in public for free, but Nancy New, who runs a nonprofit that distributes social grants, “continues to say she has a budget.”
Holmes said Favre was not aware of the funds coming from a federal welfare program. “He doesn’t understand where the grant is coming from,” said Holmes. “He does not know.”
When asked why Favre, who was paid an estimated $140 million over the course of his NFL career, didn’t just donate money to volleyball facilities, Holmes said: “He makes great gifts, but that’s how it is with the rich. They collect money. »
Holmes added that comedian Jerry Lewis not only donated money to the popular muscular dystrophy telethon, “he raised it.”
Holmes, who has previously admitted that Favre was being questioned by the FBI, said he had not been contacted recently by federal investigators.
