Former Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant has filed a lawsuit against Sports Illustrated’s former publisher and a former reporter, Michael Rosenberg, accusing them of defaming him in a report about Mississippi’s welfare scandal and his connection to retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre. The report detailed how millions in welfare funds were misused, with Favre among the recipients. Bryant appointed John Davis, who directed the misallocation of funds, but Bryant denies any involvement beyond alerting authorities. The lawsuit claims the report falsely implicates Bryant in illegal activities and colluding with individuals involved in the scandal.
The lawsuit also challenges the characterization of Bryant’s actions and relationships in the report, refuting allegations that he plotted with others to commit illegal acts or accepted stock in a pharmaceutical company involved in the scandal. Bryant has previously sued another publication, Mississippi Today, over similar allegations of his involvement in the welfare scandal.
The lawsuit against Sports Illustrated seeks to refute the defamatory claims made in the report, emphasizing Bryant’s innocence and lack of involvement in the misuse of welfare funds. It also disputes the portrayal of Bryant’s interactions with key players in the scandal and attempts to clarify his role in the events surrounding the scandal’s unraveling. Bryant maintains that he was not part of any conspiracy or illegal scheme and that the accusations against him are false and damaging to his reputation.
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Photo credit www.mississippifreepress.org
