NFL Football

[GoCubsGo]

Your image didn't come through ...

Weird, I see it.

Weirder, I see it now but it's a reverse (mirrored) image.

[O Really]

Mine was reversed, too.
I think they should keep the new helmet.

[Vrede too]

Mine was reversed, too....

Yeah, reversed. I wasn't paying attention.

[GoCubsGo]

This'll help him get a new coaching gig.

And ewww.

[GoCubsGo]

Kylie for President!

[Vrede too]

Lock him up.
Straight from the cheetohead playbook.



Brett Favre on $77M Mississippi welfare scandal: 'I have been unjustly smeared in the media'

cheetohead - cheesehead

I missed this in May:

Rich & Shameless
S2.E5
Brett Favre: Out of Bounds
Episode aired May 22, 2024
TV-14
42m

IMDb RATING 7.9/10

Maverick quarterback Brett Favre's fame and fortune take a dark turn as he becomes embroiled in a welfare fund scandal, threatening his hard-earned legacy.

Storyline
Brett Favre, a maverick quarterback who knew no limits on the field, has become embroiled in a welfare funds scandal that threatens to tarnish his legacy and reputation. This film explores how Favre's fame, money and privilege may have taken him out of bounds.

Rerun Monday July 8, 11 pm TNT. The promos don't sound very favorable towards him. You can eat popcorn and gloat.

[GoCubsGo]

You can eat popcorn and gloat.

It's a very little bit of consolation that the two biggest thorns in the Bears side are complete assholes.

But then again, we had Jay Cutler, who was an asshole and sucked.

[O Really]

I dunno, man. Absent any fraud on Favre's part, it seems more like plain ol' Mississippi goodolboy sleaze to me instead of anything outrageous.

[GoCubsGo]

I dunno, man. Absent any fraud on Favre's part, it seems more like plain ol' Mississippi goodolboy sleaze to me instead of anything outrageous.

Huh?

Mississippi welfare funds scandal
Main article: Mississippi welfare funds scandal
In 2020, Favre's involvement with the development and promotion of a concussion treatment drug, Prevasol, by the Prevacus corporation, came under scrutiny. The nonprofit Mississippi Community Education Center (MCEC) received $2.5 million in federal grant funds diverted from Mississippi's Temporary Assistance for Needy Families welfare funds (TANF), as well as tens of millions in public funds as an element of the scheme. The Mississippi state auditor has termed the scheme "the largest public embezzlement case in state history". A grand jury in Hinds County indicted MCEC founder, Nancy New, and her son Zach in the scheme. Favre had introduced MCEC's founders to top state welfare officials.[263] Former Governor Phil Bryant is also involved in the scandal.[264]

No-show speaking fees
On May 4, 2020, an audit in Favre's home state of Mississippi alleged that the state's Department of Human Services misspent $94 million intended for at-need residents, including $1.1 million paid out to Favre's company for two speaking appearances he did not make.[265] The Mississippi auditor later announced that Favre intended to repay that money.[266] On October 12, 2021, the Mississippi State Auditor notified Favre that he could face a civil lawsuit if he did not pay the state $828,000.[267] Favre paid $600,000 on October 26, 2021.[268] The Mississippi State Auditor said Favre still owed $228,000 in interest and referred the matter to the state attorney general's office.[269][270][271] Favre was questioned by the FBI over the misappropriated funds. His lawyer has stated that Favre did not know the money was misappropriated from funds used to assist poor families and has not been charged with a crime in these matter.[272][273]

Diversion of funds for volleyball facility and biotech venture
A lawsuit filed by the state of Mississippi alleges Favre orchestrated the diversion of federal welfare funds to non-welfare related causes.[274]

On September 13, 2022, Mississippi Today published text messages between Favre and former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant showing Favre's involvement in a plan to divert $5 million of the money toward a cause championed by Favre, a new volleyball facility at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater and where his daughter played volleyball.[275] The text messages had been entered as evidence as part of a civil lawsuit.[276] In one of the texts, Favre asks, "If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?"[277]

Favre helped arrange for $2 million of the funds to be invested in a biotech startup in which he had already invested.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brett_F ... ds_scandal

[O Really]

OK, you win.

[GoCubsGo]

OK, you win.

And Mississippi loses.

[Vrede too]

OK, you win.

And Mississippi loses.

As does freedom of the press:

She exposed how the nation's poorest state spent federal welfare money. Now she might go to jail.

... “If one of us goes to jail, we will be the first person to go to jail in the Mississippi welfare scandal,” (Anna) Wolfe told NBC News, referring to the eight indictments that stemmed from the imbroglio, none of which has yet resulted in a sentence. “How can I make promises to sources that I’m going to keep them confidential if this is possible?”...

No good deed . . .

[O Really]

. “How can I make promises to sources that I’m going to keep them confidential if this is possible?”...

Well, not to be too cynical, but I'd suggest checking the journalist shield law in your state before making those promises. Mississippi is one of eight states without one.

[Vrede too]

Well, not to be too cynical, but I'd suggest checking the journalist shield law in your state before making those promises. Mississippi is one of eight states without one.

Bummer, figures. Good Mississippi journalists still strive to keep their sources confidential and some may be willing to go to jail for the principle. Heroes. Maybe they can make constitutional arguments?

Anyhow, good on Anna Wolfe for taking down Favre, the Gov and the others, whatever price she ends up paying. Maybe her book will make it worth it

[O Really]

Well, she could find herself in lots of company, I suppose.
"Journalists jailed or fined for refusing to identify confidential sources, as of 2019"

https://www.rcfp.org/jailed-fined-journ ... l-sources/

Taylor's contribution" "You can tell me when it's over, if the high was worth the pain"

[Vrede too]

Well, she could find herself in lots of company, I suppose.
"Journalists jailed or fined for refusing to identify confidential sources, as of 2019"

https://www.rcfp.org/jailed-fined-journ ... l-sources/

Taylor's contribution" "You can tell me when it's over, if the high was worth the pain"

As of 2019:
No mainstream journalist jailed since 2005. A “freelance journalist” was jailed in 2006.
No journalists fined since 2004. A 2008 contempt citation was vacated.
Caveat: America went nuts in 2020. Maybe some journalists suffered.

State laws

States differ on their approach to protecting reporter's privilege. As of 2018, 49 states and the District of Columbia offer some form of protections. Forty states (plus D.C.) have passed shield laws. These laws vary from state to state. Some protections apply to civil but not to criminal proceedings. Other laws protect journalists from revealing confidential sources, but not other information. Many states have also established court precedents which provide protection to journalists, usually based on constitutional arguments. Only Wyoming lacks both legislation and judicial precedent to protect reporter's privilege.

"constitutional arguments" - As I speculated.

Mississippi
Shield law - No
Court-recognized privilege - Yes

I'd say that Anna Wolfe has reason to be optimistic.

[Vrede too]

Reminder:

I missed this in May:

Rich & Shameless
S2.E5
Brett Favre: Out of Bounds
Episode aired May 22, 2024
TV-14
42m

IMDb RATING 7.9/10

Maverick quarterback Brett Favre's fame and fortune take a dark turn as he becomes embroiled in a welfare fund scandal, threatening his hard-earned legacy.

Storyline
Brett Favre, a maverick quarterback who knew no limits on the field, has become embroiled in a welfare funds scandal that threatens to tarnish his legacy and reputation. This film explores how Favre's fame, money and privilege may have taken him out of bounds.

Rerun Monday July 8, 11 pm EDT TNT. The promos don't sound very favorable towards him. You can eat popcorn and gloat.

Edit:
Even more damning than I expected. Good.

Lock him up!

[Vrede too]

Brett Favre is asking an appeals court to reinstate his defamation lawsuit against Shannon Sharpe

Lawyers for retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre will ask a federal appeals court Tuesday to revive a defamation lawsuit Favre filed against a fellow Pro Football of Fame member, former tight end Shannon Sharpe, amid the backdrop of a Mississippi welfare scandal that is one of the state's largest public corruption cases.

A federal judge in Mississippi threw out the lawsuit in October, saying Sharpe used constitutionally protected speech on a sports broadcast when he criticized Favre’s connection to the welfare misspending case.

Favre hopes the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals will reinstate the lawsuit.

Sharpe said during a September 2022 broadcast of the Fox Sports show “Skip and Shannon: Undisputed” that Favre was “taking from the underserved,” that he “stole money from people that really needed that money” and that someone would have to be a sorry person “to steal from the lowest of the low.”

Right on.

... Favre has paid back $1.1 million, but White said in a February court filing that the former quarterback still owes $729,790 because interest caused growth in the original amount he owed.

Deadbeat.

Favre, who lives in Mississippi, has denied wrongdoing and is not facing criminal charges. He is among more than three dozen people or companies being sued by the state Department of Human Services.

U.S. District Judge Keith Starrett's October ruling said Sharpe's remarks about the case were constitutionally protected “rhetorical hyperbole.”...

Keith Starrett was appointed by George W. Bush.

[O Really]

Did the show offer any theory as to why Favre hasn't been charged with anything? Maybe being a sleaze bag isn't illegal in Mississippi?

[Vrede too]

Did the show offer any theory as to why Favre hasn't been charged with anything? Maybe being a sleaze bag isn't illegal in Mississippi?

You answered your own question.

I think in most cases it was state officials diverting money from poverty programs. Favre's agenda was just the beneficiary. As you know, conspiracy cases are difficult to make.

There's also his own charity and fraudulent fund diversions from it. I'm not sure if that investigation has concluded.

Civil cases are progressing. Perhaps they will develop enough evidence for criminal charges.