Mississippi News
Mississippi Today to publish Phil Bryant welfare investigation
Mississippi Today investigation exposes new evidence of Phil Bryant’s role in welfare scandal
With the help of Phil Bryant’s own words in candid, never-before-published conversations, Mississippi Today’s series โThe Backchannelโ uncovers the depth of the former governor’s involvement within a sprawling welfare scandal that plagued his administration.
Each story in the series will delve into an aspect of Bryant’s entanglement with the welfare agency’s spending โ whether the ties to his personal business dealings, his relationships with players in the scheme, patterns in his leadership, agency directives or nepotism.
While he was Mississippi’s governor, the welfare department that Bryant oversaw misused and squandered at least $77 million in federal funds meant to assist the state‘s poorest residents โ and so far he’s skirted all accountability.
This scheme wasn’t confined to a rogue government employee forging checks.
It was the inevitable outcome inside a public assistance office that had distorted its supposed mission to uplift people in poverty, while throwing tens of millions of welfare dollars at pie-in-the-sky plans with virtually no oversight.
The diversion of the funds away from the needy happened largely through sanctioned government processes โ whether by the state agency or a private nonprofit โ and in many cases with permission and in broad daylight.
The head of that system was Phil Bryant.
โI’ll take my responsibility,โ Bryant told Mississippi Today in a three-hour interview on April 2. โYeah, I was the governor. I wish I had been able to catch it. The moment I did, I called in the state auditor.โ
Since the auditor arrested Bryant’s appointed director in 2020, state and federal investigators and prosecutors have failed to publicly scrutinize the governor’s role โ which is palpable in written communication they’ve possessed for more than two years. The state auditor, a former Bryant staffer and campaign manager who the former governor later appointed as auditor, said that he believed it was the welfare director’s duty to reject any improper requests from the governor, not the governor’s responsibility to know agency spending regulations.
Mississippi Today scoured thousands of pages of text messages gathered by law enforcement agents in the course of their investigation. The communications, shared with our news organization, were sent between some of the key players and during limited time periods. We also reviewed thousands of emails and agency documents we received through more than 80 public records requests. Mississippi Today analyzed these records and conducted dozens of interviews.
Together, the trove of documents reveals the ease with which Bryant wielded his influence over the funding decisions of his eager-to-please welfare director. It also shows the lengths Bryant was willing to go to help his friend and retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre, who was the inspiration behind more than $8 million in improper welfare payments.
The messages Mississippi Today obtained set a stage for the events that led to what state officials consider the largest public embezzlement scheme in state history. They also raise questions about whether any officials plan to hold him accountable โ and what more may have occurred under Bryant’s watch that he didn’t discuss in writing.
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo
SUMMARY: In Tupelo, Mississippi, 19-year-old Joshua James and a juvenile face charges related to a police pursuit and the theft of a police car. James is charged with Directing a Felony to Be Committed by a Person Under Seventeen, Grand Larceny, and Felony Fleeing, with a bond set at $100,000. The incident began on November 1 when police responded to a report of a stolen vehicle. After a chase that ended when the stolen truck crashed south of Verona, James was apprehended, while his juvenile passenger fled in a police car, which was later found wrecked. The juvenile’s case will be handled in Youth Court.
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The post Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas
SUMMARY: The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors has secured funding to construct storm shelters in Crawford, Artesia, and Plum Grove, areas lacking local shelter during severe weather. Each community will receive four FEMA-funded shelters, accommodating up to 20 people each, on government property at a total cost of $103,692, with FEMA contributing $93,000. The supervisors anticipate these shelters will significantly enhance safety for residents during storms. Vice President Jeff Smith highlighted their importance, expressing relief for community members who have long awaited a secure refuge. While installation timelines remain unclear, the project is expected to proceed soon.
The post Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, donโt vote’
SUMMARY: David “Dave” Elliott, a local news anchor for WLOX in Biloxi for nearly 40 years, was fired after expressing political views on social media. He revealed on Facebook that his termination was due to his political opinions, specifically mentioning a video where he advised people not to vote out of hatred for Donald Trump. Elliott characterized his social media posts as satire, distinguishing them from his professional work. He noted that the discussion with his station’s general manager about his dismissal was brief, and the topic of social media was raised. WLOX’s management declined to comment on the matter.
The post News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, don’t vote’ appeared first on www.foxnews.com
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