JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – On Monday, State Auditor Shad White (R-Miss.) and his team announced a new counter-suit against former NFL quarterback Brett Favre to recover welfare dollars.
“Last February, Favre sued me for defamation for truthful statements I made describing Mississippi’s large welfare fraud scandal to taxpayers. In other words, for doing my job. Mississippi’s Constitution and laws require that the State Auditor act to protect the taxpayers and fully collect all public funds which Favre received. Favre’s meritless defamation suit provides the opportunity for the recovery of the principal and interest which he failed to repay,” said White.
In January, Attorney General Lynn Fitch (R-Miss.) announced that her office would no longer represent White in his two defamation lawsuits. She cited a conflict of interest.
“We did not take this step lightly or without serious consideration. My office will continue to work with the Auditor’s Office on the various tasks where our duties intersect,” Fitch stated.
White said attorneys at the Office of the State Auditor have been handling the case.
“Now that lawyers from the Office of the State Auditor are trying this case, we are going to ensure Mr. Favre is held accountable for his acts and omissions,” said White.
The State Auditor has said that from 2016 to 2019, the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) misspent more than $77 million from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program — money that was intended to help some of the poorest people in the U.S.
Prosecutors have said the department gave money to nonprofit organizations that spent it on projects favored by wealthy and well-connected people, such as a $5 million volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, a project for which Favre agreed to raise money.
Favre is not facing criminal charges, but he is among more than three dozen people or businesses the state is suing to try to recover misspent welfare money.
Favre has repaid $1.1 million he received for speaking fees from a nonprofit group that spent TANF money with approval from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. White said Favre never showed up to give the speeches.
In December, the department made a new demand of up to $5 million against Favre and a university sports foundation, saying welfare money was improperly used to pay for a volleyball arena at Favre’s alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi.
Favre’s daughter started playing volleyball at the university in 2017. Filings in the state’s civil lawsuit show text message exchanges between Favre and others about directing money to the volleyball facility from a nonprofit organization that had Department of Human Services contracts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.