Last week, I published a story about two Brett Favre pet projects: a concussion research firm, which allegedly received stolen welfare money from a nonprofit, and the new volleyball court at his alma mater, paid for by the same nonprofit. Then I found this email calendar invite: 
Former Gov. Phil Bryant says he didn’t attend this meeting and while he had discussions with Favre about recruiting the concussion drug company to Mississippi, he said he never suggested Human Services be involved.
Read my story at @MSTODAYnews: mississippitoday.org/2020/03/05/the…
Let’s break down the email: It’s from MDHS head John Davis to Ted DiBiase Jr. (more on him^), the son of “Million Dollar Man” professional wrestler-turned-Christian minister, whom MDHS awarded more than $2 million in welfare subgrants. (Read Jack’s story: clarionledger.com/story/news/pol…)
Davis scheduled the meeting for the next day, Jan. 2, 2019, at the office of Nancy New, founder of the nonprofit, Mississippi Community Education Center, to which MDHS has funneled $55 million in TANF funds since FY2017.
The email says both Favre and Bryant requested the meeting.
And they wanted to talk about two topics of interest to Favre: concussion research, the focus of Prevacus, a company he was investing in and endorsing, and the new athletic facility at the school where his daughter played on the volleyball team. More here: mississippitoday.org/2020/02/27/wel…
@SouthernMiss is the alma mater of Favre, New, Davis and Bryant.
About two weeks later, Davis and New allegedly began embezzling and personally investing $2.15M in welfare dollars into the concussion firm, Prevacus, and its affiliate, according to the State Auditor. It is the largest portion of the scheme outlined by investigators so far.
The welfare money in question here is from a federal block grant called #TANF, and the door has been open for its abuse since its inception in the 90s due to a lack of controls and accountability. States don’t even have to tell the feds what they spent the money on.
