Mississippi judge dismisses lawsuit against news outlet for Brett Favre reporting in $77,000,000 welfare fraud

Modified Apr 08, 2025 06:13 GMT

American Family Insurance Championship - Round Two - Source: Getty — Mississippi judge dismisses lawsuit against news outlet for Brett Favre reporting in $77,000,000 welfare fraud - Source: Getty

On Friday, Mississippi judge Bradley Mills dismissed the high-profile defamation lawsuit tied to the $77 million welfare fraud scandal, in which former NFL quarterback Brett Favre’s name was associated.

The lawsuit was originally filed by former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant nearly two years back against nonprofit news outlet Mississippi Today and its Pulitzer Prize-winning reporting.

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The ruling shut down claims that the outlet defamed Bryant.

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In a statement to ESPN, Lee Crain, the Mississippi Today attorney, called the defamation lawsuit "baseless" and labeled Pulitzer Prize-winner Anna Wolfe's stories "exactly the type of reporting the First Amendment was intended to protect."

However, Bryant’s legal team hasn’t backed down.

"This matter is far from over,” said his attorney, Billy Quinn, who confirmed plans to appeal the ruling. "Governor Bryant remains confident in the legal basis and righteousness of his case."

Mississippi Today headlined their legal victory "A Win for Press Freedom" on Friday, saying:

"The reporting speaks for itself. The truth speaks for itself"

What is the Mississippi Welfare scandal all about?

The scandal was a product of one of the biggest public corruption cases in the history of Mississippi. $77 million in federal welfare funds initially intended for poor families were reportedly diverted to unrelated projects.

One of the projects involved 55-year-old quarterback Brett Favre, who agreed to raise funds to construct a volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi, his daughter's alma mater.

Mississippi Today, a non-profit news organization, published a comprehensive five-part series titled "The Backchannel," which earned reporter Anna Wolfe a Pulitzer Prize. Their reporting indicated collusion between Favre and Phil Bryant. Both deny any wrongdoing to date.

Favre subsequently sued Shannon Sharpe and Pat McAfee for defamation, but the lawsuits were dismissed and withdrawn, respectively.

The three-time NFL MVP has not faced criminal charges.

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Edited by Vaishnavi Iyer