The nation's poorest state used welfare money to pay Brett Favre for speeches he never made

[ItsjustMe]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/nations-poorest-state-used-welfare-money-pay-brett-favre-speeches-neve-rcna45871

The state auditor says $70 million in federal welfare funds went to Favre, a volleyball complex and a former pro wrestler in a scandal that has rocked Mississippi.

Brett Favre earned nearly $140 million as a star NFL quarterback over two decades and millions more in product endorsements.

But that didn’t stop the state of Mississippi from paying Favre $1.1 million in 2017 and 2018 to make motivational speeches — out of federal welfare funds intended for needy families. The Mississippi state auditor said Favre never gave the speeches and demanded the money back, with interest.

Favre has repaid the fees, although not the $228,000 in interest the auditor also demanded. But the revelation by the auditor that $70 million in TANF welfare funds was doled out to a multimillionaire athlete, a professional wrestler, a horse farm and a volleyball complex are at the heart of a scandal that has rocked the nation’s poorest state, sparking parallel state and federal criminal investigations that have led to charges and guilty pleas involving some of the key players.

Favre hasn’t been accused of a crime or charged, and he declined an interview. His lawyer, Bud Holmes, said he did nothing wrong and never understood he was paid with money intended to help poor children. Holmes acknowledged that the FBI had questioned Favre in the case, a fact that hasn’t previously been reported.

[ALBliberal]

1. But he took the money without making the speeches?

That alone should have him in hot water.

Taxpayer dollars sheesh!

[ShazamIam]

2. Seems like the Mississippi state capital's water system in Jackson needed those funds.

[CrispyQ]

3. Shame on the state, but what slime Favre is,

not just for not doing the speeches, but for being involved in a deal like this to begin with. Asshole.

[TeamProg]

4. And on TOP of all that $$ loss, tax payers have to pay to house and feed the crooks after they're

imprisoned.