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A4 U.S. NEWS
Thursday 15 sepTember 2022
Texts: Mississippi governor knew of welfare payment to Favre

By EMILY WAGSTER PETTUS get this done!"
Associated Press Favre responded: "Awe-
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — some I needed to hear that
Newly revealed text mes- for sure."
sages show how deeply Attorneys for Favre did not
involved a Mississippi gov- immediately respond to a
ernor was in directing more phone message Wednes-
than $1 million in welfare day from The Associated
money to retired NFL quar- Press.
terback Brett Favre. In a July 11 court filing, New's
Instead of the money go- attorney wrote that Bryant
ing to help low-income directed her to pay $1.1
families in one of the na- million in welfare money to
tion's poorest states, as in- Favre through the educa-
tended, it was funneled tion center for "speaking
through a nonprofit group at events, keynote speak-
to Favre and spent on a ing, radio and promotional
new volleyball facility at a events, and business part-
university that the football ner development."In July,
star and the governor both a Bryant spokesperson said
attended. allegations that the gov-
The texts from 2017 show ernor improperly spent the
Republican Gov. Phil Bry- money are false and that
ant, who left office in 2020, Former NFL quarterback Brett Favre speaks to the media in Jackson, Miss., Oct. 17, 2018. Bryant had asked the state
was "on board" with the ar- Associated Press auditor to investigate pos-
rangement. The state is su- sible welfare fraud.
ing Favre and others, alleg- and the center's execu- Southern Mississippi. never have had that infor- Bryant served two terms as
ing they misspent millions of tive director, Nancy New, Favre played football at mation publicized. I under- governor and could not
dollars in welfare money. included references to Bry- the university in Hattiesburg stand you being uneasy run again in 2019 because
The director of the non- ant. before going to the NFL about that though. Let's of term limits. He earned his
profit has pleaded guilty to The texts showed discussion in 1991, and his daughter see what happens on Mon- bachelor's degree from the
criminal charges in Missis- between Favre and New started playing on the vol- day with the conversation University of Southern Missis-
sippi's largest public corrup- about arranging payment leyball team there in 2017. with some of the folks at sippi.
tion case in decades. from the Mississippi Depart- According to court docu- Southern. Maybe it will click New and her son, Zachary
The texts were in court ment of Human Services ments, Favre texted New with them. Hopefully." New, who helped run the
documents filed Monday through the nonprofit to Fa- on Aug. 3, 2017: "If you were Favre responded: "Ok nonprofit, pleaded guilty
in state court by an attor- vre for speaking engage- to pay me is there anyway thanks." in April to charges of mis-
ney for the nonprofit known ments, with Favre then the media can find out The next day, New texted spending welfare money.
as the Mississippi Commu- saying he would direct the where it came from and Favre: "Wow, just got off the They await sentencing
nity Education Center. The money to the volleyball how much?" phone with Phil Bryant! He and have agreed to testify
messages between Favre facility at the University of New responded: "No, we is on board with us! We will against others.q

Officials probing whether Northeastern explosion was staged

condition of anonymity. office in Boston declined port services were made
The Northeastern staff to comment Wednesday, available for students, fac-
member said late Tuesday saying the investigation is ulty and staff.
the hard plastic case ex- "still very active and fluid." Despite reassurances from
ploded on the campus in Northeastern in a mes- the school, many students
Boston, causing minor inju- sage posted on its website remain concerned.
ries, according to authori- Wednesday said the cam- "Every time I go to a class
ties. pus is safe. or dining hall or anything
The case contained a "Events such as the incident in general, people are just
rambling note that railed that took place on our Bos- talking about what's go-
against virtual reality and ton campus last night can ing on and what went on
Police and emergency personnel respond the scene of an ex- also referenced Facebook create or heighten anxiety yesterday," student Lisbeth
plosion in Boston, Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022. founder Mark Zuckerberg, for many of us," said the Martinez said Wednesday.
Associated Press a law enforcement official post, credited to Provost "A lot of people are still anx-
said. No explosive materi- David Madigan and Chan- ious and obviously scared
By MICHAEL BALSAMO and Investigators identified in- als were found and they do cellor Kenneth Henderson. of the situation."
ALANNA DURKIN RICHER consistencies in the em- not believe the package "We would like to under- The package delivered to
Associated Press ployee's statement and be- was sent through the U.S. score what was commu- Holmes Hall detonated just
BOSTON (AP) — Federal came skeptical because Postal Service, the official nicated to our community after 7 p.m. Tuesday when
officials are examining his injuries did not match said. last night: Multiple law en- a staff member opened it,
whether the employee wounds typically consistent The official described the forcement agencies have the university had said in a
who reported an explosion with an explosion, said one case as a "Pelican-style" determined that the cam- statement. The staff mem-
at Northeastern University official. case. Pelican is a company pus is safe and secure." ber, a 45-year-old man, was
may have lied to investiga- The officials could not dis- that makes hard cases de- The campus opened nor- taken to the hospital with
tors and staged the inci- cuss details of the investi- signed to protect sensitive mally for classes and oth- minor injuries to his hand,
dent, law enforcement of- gation publicly and spoke equipment. er activities Wednesday. police said. No name was
ficials said Wednesday. to The Associated Press on A spokesperson for the FBI Counseling and other sup- made public.q