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Report: Brett Favre hires former Trump attorney

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Report: Brett Favre hires former Trump attorney as welfare scandal grows

NFL legend Brett Favre, who has become a central figure in ongoing coverage of the Mississippi welfare scandal, has hired former Trump White House attorney Eric Herschmann as his lead counsel, Axios first reported on Monday.

Favre has been a subject of Mississippi Today and national reporting this year for being the inspiration behind at least $8 million in welfare misspending. In recent weeks, several sponsors have reportedly distanced themselves from the the Hall of Fame quarterback and native Mississippian.

Text messages first reported by Mississippi Today this year show Favre communicated regularly and directly with welfare officials about using federal grant money to construct a volleyball stadium at the University of Southern Mississippi, his alma mater and where his daughter played volleyball.

A Mississippi Today investigation earlier this year also chronicled how Favre and his business partner in a pharmaceutical startup company offered stock to former Gov. Phil Bryant in exchange for the governor’s help advancing the company. That venture also received more than $2 million in welfare funds.

READ MORE: ‘You stuck your neck out for me’: Brett Favre used fame and favors to pull welfare dollars

While he has not been charged with a crime, Favre is facing civil charges in an ongoing lawsuit the state is bringing against several people and companies that received welfare funds. He repaid the state $1.1 million that he personally received from a welfare-funded nonprofit under an advertising agreement, which allegedly included speaking engagements he never attended.

Mississippi Today first reported last month that Favre and the nonprofit appear to have entered the advertising arrangement as a way to channel more funds to the USM volleyball project.

“I only agreed to represent Brett Favre after I did my independent due diligence and was convinced that he did nothing wrong,” Herschmann told Axios. “Brett enthusiastically tried to help his alma mater, a public university, that needed and wanted his help.”

Herschmann continued: “To be clear, Brett had no idea that welfare funds were being used or that others were involved in illegal conduct.”

Click here to read the full scoop from Axios.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Attorneys file motion to delay Jackson bribery trial

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-21 16:41:00

SUMMARY: In connection with the Jackson bribery scandal, attorneys for federal officials and local leaders filed a motion to postpone the trial to allow time for extensive evidence review, including hours of recordings and thousands of pages of documents. Key figures charged include Hinds County DA Jody Owens, Jackson Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba, and Councilman Aaron Banks, each facing multiple counts of conspiracy related to bribery and fraud. The scandal involves alleged bribes amounting to over $80,000 related to a downtown development project, facilitated by individuals posing as real estate developers working with the FBI.

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Mississippi News

Family of Dexter Wade rallies outside JPD nearly two years after his death

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www.wjtv.com – Tia McKenzie – 2024-11-20 14:20:00

SUMMARY: Nearly two years after Dexter Wade’s death, his family continues seeking justice. On November 20, Dexter Wade Day was observed in Jackson, declared by Councilman Kenneth Stokes. Wade, hit by a Jackson police cruiser in March 2023, was later found in a pauper’s grave in Hinds County, and his mother, Bettersten Wade, was unaware of his death until August 2023. She believes his death was covered up. No arrests have been made, and authorities consider it an accident. Jackson Police Chief Joseph Wade expressed condolences and shared updates on new policies to prevent similar tragedies.

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Mississippi News

Man shot while helping with stalled vehicle in Jackson

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-11-20 19:08:00

SUMMARY: A man was shot in Jackson, Mississippi, while attempting to assist a person with a stalled vehicle on State Street at Beasley Road around 4:00 p.m. on November 20. Detective Tommie Brown reported that the victim was working on the vehicle when the suspect approached, questioned him, and then opened fire. The assailant fled the scene in a vehicle. Fortunately, the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The Jackson Police Department is seeking information about the incident and encourages anyone with details to contact them or Crime Stoppers.

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