Retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre made further waves in the Mississippi welfare scandal this week, filing paperwork to have the lawsuit filed against him dismissed while also drawing up his own lawsuit against three individuals for defamation, according to multiple reports.
Favre, who played college football at Southern Miss, has been accused of misspending millions of dollars in Mississippi welfare money — including earmarking money for his alma mater to build a volleyball facility — with the state seeking to recoup those funds via legal action.
Favre’s legal team filed the request for dismissal on Friday, per CNN and other reports.
Multiple outlets also reported that Favre has also filed suit against sports commentators Pat McAfee and Shannon Sharpe as well as Mississippi auditor Shad White, with those defamation suits dropping Thursday.
McAfee commented on the lawsuit publicly on his show Friday, saying in part, “I’m getting sued by Brett Favre … The quotes that were in that lawsuit are certainly accurate. But there’s one word I believe that was said often on this particular program if you watch at all, and that would be ‘allegedly.'”
In October, Favre, 53, denied any wrongdoing, despite multiple released text messages indicating potential knowledge of the situation.
“No one ever told me, and I did not know, that funds designated for welfare recipients were going to the University or me,” Favre said. “I tried to help my alma mater USM, a public Mississippi state university, raise funds for a wellness center. My goal was and always will be to improve the athletic facilities at my university.”
Text messages showed that Favre discussed the potential outcome should funding diverted to his projects become public with Nancy New, the founder of the Mississippi Community Education Center. New has pleaded guilty to 13 felony counts of bribery, fraud and racketeering for her role.
New had been charged with spending millions in federal welfare funds earmarked to help the state.
“If you were to pay me is there anyway the media can find out where it came from and how much?” Favre asked New in 2017.
Favre, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, retired from the NFL following the 2010 NFL season.
–Field Level Media
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