JACKSON, ma’am. –
Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre filed a lawsuit Thursday in Mississippi, alleging the state auditor and two national sports broadcasters defamed him during public discussions about him. Misuse of welfare money supposedly to help some of the poorest people in one of the poorest states in the country.
The lawsuit against Auditor Shad White says that the Republican Party “conducted an outrageous media campaign with malicious and false accusations against Brett Favre – Hall of Fame quarterback and son territory of Mississippi – in a blatant attempt to capitalize on the media attention given to Favre’s popularity to further his political career.”
In a separate lawsuit against former NFL player Shannon Sharpe, Favre said Sharpe made “extremely false” statements about him on Fox Sports’ “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” talk show, including Favre “stealing money from people who really need it.”
And in another lawsuit against retired NFL player Pat McAfee, Favre said McAfee used “outrageous falsehood” including calling Favre a “thief” who was “stealing from the poor in Mississippi.”
Favre does not face criminal charges in the Mississippi welfare scandal, but he is among more than three dozen people or businesses the state is suing to try to recover money wrongly spent through the program. Temporary Assistance for needy families.
Favre reimbursed the $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 appeared to speak.
In December, the state Department of Human Services made a new claim of up to $5 million against Favre and a university sports organization, alleging that welfare money was improperly used to paid for a volleyball arena at Favre’s alma mater, University of Southern Mississippi.
Favre’s daughter started playing volleyball at college in 2017. The volleyball facility is an exciting project for the retired quarterback and he is committed to spearheading fundraising efforts for it. Previous records in the state’s civil lawsuit show text message exchanges between Favre and others about the transfer of money to the volleyball facility from a nonprofit that has a contract with the Department of Translation. Human Services.
The Associated Press sent an email to a representative for McAfee and left a phone message to Sharpe on Thursday, seeking comment on the defamation lawsuits. They did not respond immediately.
The lawsuit Favre filed against the auditor on Thursday accuses White of “shameless and wrongful attacks on Favre’s good reputation” in order to draw attention to himself, “including his appeared on television shows on CNN and HBO, a popular ESPN podcast, as well as interviews for print and online media.None of these national media will pay attention to White if he doesn’t attack Favre.”
Fletcher Freeman, a spokesman for White, said in a statement: “Everything Auditor White said about this case is true and is supported by years of audit work by experts at the Audit Office. State Councilor. Favre wants a test on that question.”
Freeman also said that Favre called White and the team of auditors liars, despite refunding some of the money the auditor’s office demanded of him.
“He also claimed the auditors were liars despite clear documentary evidence that he benefited from funds that were improperly spent,” Freeman said. “Instead of paying New York attorneys to try this case, he’d be better off repaying the full amount of welfare funds he owes the state.”
