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 “The Backchannel” 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 — 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 — 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 — whether by the state agency or a private nonprofit — and in many cases with permission and in broad daylight.
The head of that system was Phil Bryant.
“I'll take my responsibility,” Bryant told Mississippi Today in a three-hour interview on April 2. “Yeah, I was the governor. I wish I had been able to catch it. The moment I did, I called in the state auditor.”
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 — 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 — 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
Stabbing investigation leads to officer-involved shooting in Gulfport
SUMMARY: An officer-involved shooting occurred in Gulfport, Mississippi following a call about a stabbing on Reed Avenue on May 4. According to Bailey Martin of the Mississippi Department of Public Safety, an altercation between an officer and the suspect led to the shooting. The suspect was taken to a local hospital for treatment, while the officer was unharmed. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident and will report their findings to the Mississippi Attorney General's Office.
The post Stabbing investigation leads to officer-involved shooting in Gulfport appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
1 injured in officer-involved shooting at Ridgeland apartment complex
SUMMARY: Authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting at a Ridgeland apartment complex that left one person injured. The incident occurred at Ridgeland Place Apartments and involved a suspect firing shots at officers before being injured and taken to the hospital. The officers were responding to a call for service, and no serious injuries were reported among them. The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is looking into the incident and will share their findings with the Mississippi Attorney General's Office.
The post 1 injured in officer-involved shooting at Ridgeland apartment complex appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
WPPD needs help locating ATV purchased with fraudulent means
SUMMARY: The West Point Police Department is seeking help from the community to locate a black 2024 Can-Am ATV that was purchased fraudulently from Adventure ATV. The whereabouts of this ATV are unknown, and anyone with information is urged to contact the West Point Police Department at (662)494-1244. The individuals in the photos provided are not considered suspects in the investigation. For more news and updates, follow the West Point Police Department on Facebook.
The post WPPD needs help locating ATV purchased with fraudulent means appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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