Jackson Jambalaya

I do not understand this. I am not an attorney but it seems that the whole volleyball court, 5 million dollar debacle at USM, wasn't even an illegal act? If this was approved by the AGs office prior, doesn't that mean that on paper this was completely legal and above board?

You all can play politics all you want and argue over republicans and democrats. But let me make this simple for you. We are all getting screwed by that cesspool over under the golden dome. Make no mistake about it - those politicians and all the ilk around them do not care about your money.

The lease did not mention the source of the funding. The problem is not the legality of the lease. The problem is the source of the funding.

Organized Crime is great.

Who has/will go to jail for this theft?

Great addition to the ongoing story on the welfare scandal.

There have been two incredible stories about Mississippi in the past year. One is the astonishing incompetence of the City of Jackson (Mayor) and you have covered it very well. The other is the welfare scandal and the equally astonishing incompetence of Phil Bryant. Anna Wolfe has done a fantastic job of covering that story.

The truth matters. No matter how hard progressives try to paint a picture of the state (read that Republicans) causing Jackson't self-inflicted wounds, the truth is obvious.

Kudos to you and to Anna.

Now someone ask Shad why he’s looking the other way at stuff like this while he’s arresting old ladies in podunk counties for stealing and misusing funds.

I guess this completely exonerates Phil and Brett. Great "investigative" work yall. Supertalk will be thrilled.

If the USM volleyball court were the worst misuse of TANF funds, then we wouldn’t be having criminal prosecutions.

The university of southern Mississippi currently has $136,000,000.00 in endowment funds. Why did the school need to steal welfare money? I hope those responsible for stealing from the poor and giving to the rich (USM) are held accountable. I think ultimately that we are going to find the stolen money did not all go to USM.

This story just keeps getting more complex. The attorney reviewed and approved the lease. Was she aware that the funding came from TANF funds? According to this article, they did know the grand was from MDHS.

Adam Ganucheau’s mom.

This is such a stretch. AG office only read and approved lease. This is a diversion attempt to take attention of Phil and Tate. Conservative blog. And also, is that info subject to FOIA or is this a release of docs from someone higher up?

Alan Lange is screaming fire in regards to Jim Hood and Stephanie Ganucheau

and not the actual culprits that grifted the $77 million at DHS?

A prime example of selective outrage and carrying water for the good ol' boy system.

Illegal? Probably not. Unwise use of funds? Probably so. The Feds will determine if the money was misspent but the volleyball thing was definitely not criminal.

One thing I do know for sure, Y’all Politics is bought and paid for by establishment republicans, especially the Bryant sect. They don’t even disguise it.

@ 8:39 I think Shad has stated several times that he has turned over all of the evidence he has gathered in this matter to the FBI. Shad is the best auditor this state has ever had and I truly believe he follows the trail of evidence in each and every case. I know he catches a lot of heat over some of the minor cases that make the news. Shad is sending a clear message to all public officials and employees that he is serving in the best interest of the taxpayers in Mississippi and that theft will not be tolerated no matter who you are.

Transparency isn't a one-way street. You can't laud Wolfe on one hand for her reporting and then on the other believe she did not know the identity of the attorney in Hood's office who provided the USM volleyball green light.

While in office Hood played politics all the friggin' time about matters beyond his remit but on this TANF mess he was inexplicably quiet? Sorry, as with Wolfe vis-a-vis Stephanie Ganucheau, doesn't pass the smell test.

Allen Lange will do anything he can to try and stay relevant.

The IHL board minutes say,"MCEC's funding for this project is via a Block Grant from the Mississippi Department of Human Services. The funding from MCEC shall be prepaid rent to the Foundation in the amount of Five Million Dollars ($5,000,000) for the leasing of certain USM athletic facilities including but not limited to the to be constructed Wellness Center...." All involved parties, including the IHL and the SAAG that recommended the that the IHL approve the lease/sublease arrangement, knew the source of the funding.

Why is it relevant that Stephanie Ganucheau was the SAAG who recommended the project? It is relevant because MS Today has suggested that the lease arrangement was an "egregious scheme," implying or outright suggesting the arrangement was illegal. That begs the question - if it was illegal, does that mean Ganucheau was in on the crime? What about the IHL board members? What about the USM officials and attorneys? When you ask these simple questions you find the narrative passed by MS Today on this $5 million project quickly unravels.

It is one thing to say that, as a matter of policy, payments of this sort should not occur. It is quite another to claim illegality.

8:54, if so, that's awkward.

Government IS theft. The faces, parties and names change, the game remains the same, especially in the land of not enough to go around.

As thorough as Mississippi Today has been in reporting this story over the past six months, you'd think this is something they would have covered, especially since Stephanie Ganucheau is the mother of Adam Ganucheau, the MS Today editor. How did they think this was not an important angle in this story?

And now we see multiple texts in which Phil says it's important to follow the law, and one where he expressly turns down Favre's request for a football facility because of legalities. MS Today has had these texts for months and chosen not to highlight them because they don't fit their narrative. Their bias is seriously showing.

JACKSON & HINDS county is worse at stealing money than the former Governor, AG, or Bret Farve.

I think what people are starting to realize is that this is not a Machiavellian conspiracy.

This is stupid people relying on other stupid people to get approval to do move forward with their stupid ideas.

It's people who have zero understanding of how federal funding works and what it is supposed to be used for and how to use it well.

Epps was also pretty good at it...

State enforcement steps back when Feds are investigating, making plea deals resulting in evidence for prosecution and indicting. Doesn't mean State is ignoring crimes.

Bryant and Favre - too big to fail.

One thing is certain, the sPigott has definitely been turned off.

Y’all Politics is bought and paid for by establishment republicans ...

How do you know? Bought and paid for in the same way as the Democrats ownership of Barksdale Today?

I'm not a volley ball fan by any stretch, but given the choice of using a given sum of public money to either A] Build a nice field for the student athletes at USM or to B] Hand it over to people who want to live off the government teat in perpetuity, I'm choosing A].

Long term government welfare for needy but able-bodied people is the worst policy idea ever.

Y’all Politics is bought and paid for by establishment republicans ...

How do you know? Bought and paid for in the same way as the Democrats ownership of Barksdale Today?

"How do you know?" Just look at their advertising smartass. It is literally all over their webpage. At least Mississippi Today is a real news outlet that publishes who their donors are.

Just wondering which former governor will go down as leading the most corrupt administration in the history of the state? How many agency directors in prison does it take to win the prize?

Wolfe has a done a good job and has published facts. She's also left out a lot of stuff that might have hurt her agenda. She is publishing the truth, but she's only publishing 50% of the truth. She's left out some information that might help Phil's case. She doesn't want democrat Jim Hood to look bad and she doesn't want Adam Ganacheau's mother to look bad. She deliberately left this out. I know that for a fact.

For her to ignore this nugget is extremely unethical reporting by Mississippi Today. It's called disclosure. You should simply say "We are disclosing the fact that the mother of our editor-in-chief approved the lease. Having said that, we will investigate and report the facts as we find them." Mississippi Today put out a statement that they just found out about this. That is a blatant lie.

So what?

AG opinions are advisory and not binding.

This is subterfuge.

Not the same type of opinion.

Contracts can't be executed if the attorney does not sign off on them.

What you are referring to are advisory opinions.

At least Mississippi Today is a real news outlet that publishes who their donors are.

Actually, if you'd take a moment to read their 990 MT does not provide any information about the half-dozen or so major donors who fund 85+% of their annual operations.

You obviously don't understand the difference between for-profit and non-profit entities. Brandon Presley is running ads on YallP. Is he an establishment Republican?

Internal bickering aside, folks, this transaction is highly suspicious. Using federal welfare grant funds for athletics is somewhere between stupid and illegal.
Having an AG opinion blessing this does not spare repercussions.
RMQ

Send em all to prison, I’m tired of paying for this bullshit w my taxes. Send a message. Y’all all an embarrassment to the honest GOP’ers out here working hard and paying taxes.

I have it on good authority that Adam Ganucheu's editor's note contains an absolute lie - they were aware of "smokin'momma" connection to the IHL contract well before the date given.

Hardly a blip on the radar of facts relevant to this whole ordeal. Just a sad attempt to smear the editors shining a light on the underbelly of Republican politics.

11:17, admittedly, this is not my wheelhouse. But, if an AG opinion does not CYA, why ask for one?

The AG writing an opinion for an agency does not make the agency action legal.

It is advisory….by definition.

If the AG could magically write an opinion for a state agency and that made the state agency action “legal” then we would be asking all manner of things.

This is a fake issue.

Again in Mississippi, it's all about WHO not WHAT. If certain other Institutions of Higher Learning had presented this same funding scenario to the IHL Board it never would have passed scrutiny. No way. In this case it became all too routine. Imagine JSU or ASU presenting this scheme. We would have laughter but no scandal.

Well damn, cities, counties, and agencies don't need the AG to approve MOU's then. they can just go ahead since they are just "advisory" , as you put it. Agencies don't need the AG lawyer to sign off on contracts. They can just execute them at will.

I applaud Y'all Politics on this series of articles but they needed to also look at the history of the IHL and how they choose their " agenda".
How it came to be on the agenda, the limited legal "opinion" desired, and outcome was not in doubt.

How it was worded may or may not have been worked out with Hood's knowledge or that of other staff members. It didn't deal with source of funds. IHL gets the opinion they ask to get, not the one they don't.

IHL has successfully diverted federal funds to the State University with the most power for decades.

I'd also suggest that Y'all Politics should look at how Southern " does business"...especially how some of those employed on campus or local alums also have private businesses. Tax dollars as well as national sororities and fraternities are "encouraged" to hire those people or else will face obstacles. Some of it will be "buried" in "requirements" and family relationships.
Worse, Southern will not do a thing if the work of the contract business " favorites" is sub-standard.

Corruption in government happens in words and sentences. You don't find it if you don't know how to look or won't. And, sadly, MS's bar does a very poor job of keeping sleazy lawyers out of their ranks. And, judges don't enforce ethical behavior in their courts very often either. Lawyers are allowed delayed and to make discovery a game.

This is at least sloppy and probably intentionally omitted by Mississippi Today, who we can almost definitely say only brings out the side of the story they want to tell. This still doesn't make any of the actual TANF activity uncovered any better, though. Mississippi Today should have been smart enough to have realized this would make them look bad, though, and disclosed it.

@11:30 makes a valid point, but it's only part of the issue.

If the "legal" being discussed is whether the expenditure met TANF guidelines, then certainly the AG's opinion is irrelevant. The expenditure either meets the guidelines or it doesn't.

If, however, the "legal" being discussed is whether the expenditure was fraudulent or part of an "egregious scheme" as MS Today has described it, then the AG's opinion is very important. The reason why agencies and boards such as the IHL have lawyers pass over and recommended (or not) proposals is for the lawyer to determine if the proposal applies with applicable laws. So, as in this instance, if the AG says the expenditure applies with applicable laws and recommends that the IHL proceed with the lease arrangement, and then the IHL board sets forth the expenditure in detail in its minutes, the expenditure cannot be fairly labeled as fraudulent.

The expenditure may be wrong as a matter of policy - that's a political argument. It may not comply with TANF guidelines - that's a question of law that the SAAG would have either missed or gotten wrong. But reliance on the considered opinions of qualified individuals is the opposite of fraudulent intent, and it is highly relevant.

Adam's mom works at IHL for the AG?

Well now we know how he had all the "BREAKING NEWS" on the Chancellor hiring fiasco. Oh, and the monuments.

He is full of shit, "I just found out." I am sure his #1 fan, momma, read his crap and his tweets and was like, "Hey, son, I signed off on that shit. Be careful!" Adam Replied, "Mom, don't you worry, I have already discussed this with Anna, she will not say a thing." - ALLEGEDLY

MS TODAY is a liberal hack site. Not news, just an agenda. How many "good" stories have they published about anything the legislature or the Governor has done. Please link one.

The IHL Board of Trustees is the most bullshit, backwards, politically, financially, and racially motivated board in the history of state government and any approval coming from that body lends no credibility to anything. But don't we already know that?

Unless and until federal grant dollars are expended for the purpose for which they were appropriated, they remain federal grant dollars. And real property improperly purchased with federal grant funds constitutes federal property, regardless of how titled. Doesn't matter what the AG (or governor, or any other state representative) may have recommended, said or approved. The state cannot be estopped from recovering property acquired with misspent federal grant funds. A grantee has a duty to familiarize itself with the legal requirements and applicable restrictions on the expenditure of federal grant funds. All the players, including USM Athletic Foundation (and Lobaki), had ample notice and were responsible for knowing these restrictions. They cannot now say they should be excused because they relied on the opinion of an AG, or some other third party. As 11:30 says, this is a fake issue.

@10:00 AM: That "government teat" you complain about pays a maximum of $650, +/- a month, for a family of 3, but only if their income is less than $280 a month. People aren't beating down the doors at MDHS to live on that pittance in perpetuity.

12:19 everything you say may be true. BUT, that doesn't have a damn thing to do with the MDHS grand theft fiasco. Keep drinking your Trump koolaid.

The headline here is misleading. IHL/AG didn't approve a "TANF volleyball grant." They approved a lease of the facility between the USM Athletic Foundation and USM. IHL/AG didn't consider or approve the construction of the facility with TANF funds and didn't have that authority anyway. Regardless of the lease, federal grant funds were improperly used to construct the facility. Consequently, the government has a duty to recover them. Real questions is why have the governor, ag and auditor ignored these claims? Why didn't auditor send a demand letter to USM Athletic Foundation? Why did governor and AG forbid USM Athletic Foundation being named a defendant in the MDHS civil suit? An attempt to hinder claims and defraud the state and federal government? Miss. Code 97-7-13 and 97-7-15 and 18 USC 371, 286 and 1031 all seem relevant.

I was approved by the AG’s office to build a house on USM’s Campus, however my approval has nothing to do with the funding/finance’s to pay for said house. I have to find funding and that government money sho look good!

Just one of many examples!

I don’t give a rats ass about TANF monies, this shit been going on since the governments began to operate. These people we elect know exactly what they are doing! We just keep electing the same crooks over and over!

Frank Corder — who will never be seen taking potato salad to a MENSA picnic — thinks he’s got a real scoop here.

Damn, can you go one day without mentioning Trump on this board?

1:46 How the hell you OK a lease to a property that is not in existence? That is the problem with Adam's mom and her signoff. There was no building to lease, YET. Does your firm customarily lease buildings that are not built?

And the fact that MS today Intentionally left that out is undercutting Anna's work.

This is a classic “what’s that over there!”
Keep your eyes on the ball. It’s Phil.

I agree that Anna's piece looks more biased now.
Also, I still want any GOPer's to go to jail.
It makes me nauseated when folks blindly defend the thief on their side.

Also, I was pleased to see Phil has finally been removed from the "THANK YOU FOR HELPING US GET OUR DADDIES BACK" charity commercial. It was starting "Pheel" in extremely poor taste to even air that spot.

This is a pathetic attempt at subterfuge, but fine. Report this. But ALSO report the news on Phil, Favre, and co.. Why are you toting Y’all’s political bucket?

September 29, 2022 at 8:24 AM - Yes...THANK YOU!

September 29, 2022 at 9:05 AM - Exactly! Poor Alan Lange is about to implode over this not taking off like he thought it would.

@4:24 —

This is Allen’s & Frank’s version of [dramatic music] THE DURHAM REPORT!!!!!11!!!!one!!!

2:43, how does Anna look more biased when she busted a transaction approved by her boss’s mom? To me that takes balls!

As we speak, ESPN’s sports center has been covering the issue with Favre and Bryant’s mugshots on screen for over ten minutes. Whether they go to jail or have to pay money back, who knows. But their reputation is ruint. I wonder how the Songy Bryant Snell consultancy is going?

1:46 Agreed, but the approval you speak of was of the lease of a facility which at that point did not exist on a campus under the complete control of the IHL. The IHL's campus property. No such building? What questions did the IHL ask? I'd like to know.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong here. Brett Favre is not an employee of the state of MS nor of USM, just a private citizen. As an alumni of Southern Miss athletics, it's of course his realm to advocate for funding to his alma mater. But he has no real power. All he could do was ask, hound, and pressure those who did have the power to cut the check for the volleyball facility. He had no access to TANF funds nor control over how they were spent.

Why is Favre a focus here again? Seems like he was just the annoying neighbor in this whole situation.

Favre has nothing to do with TANF misspending. But ESPN just pointed out that the largest financial beneficiary of his charity is USM athletics.

5:19 You mean the same Bret Favre who co-conspired to misdirect the TANF funds to HIS project?

Y’all Politics, desperate to help Tate and Phil while also managing to get clicks. It’s an odd man out website. Literally.

You only need to read a handful of Anna’s “articles” to realize that she’s not really a reporter, but rather, a political operative. She’s very one-sided, but like the rag she works for.

Total continuous garbage.

Y’all Politics, desperate to help Tate and Phil while also managing to get clicks. It’s an odd man out website. Literally.

Well Sparky I'll bet you that Y'allP is more widely read by the majority of decision makers in the Legislature than those which follow the Barksdalers.

Did the AG attorney (Ganaesheau) know the source of the funding?

Politics and government affect all of us every day of our lives. As does the weather. Politics and government tend to attract some of the most corrupt, power hungry, lawyered up, dishonest, sneaky, dishonorable, underhanded, and double-dealing people that walk this earth. Many are the disasters and false enrichments and impoverishments unfairly caused by this type of people to government, their enemies, and sometimes their friends.

Unlike the weather which deals its bad deeds fairly even though people may be injured and killed.

Reforms are needed top to bottom, and they probably won't happen, just like they never happened all the other times this type of thing has happened.

The whole world is watching, thanks in part to the optics of a former governor dealing with both hands while in office with a former well paid NFL star using TANF funds. Door Number One has a Volleyball stadium to help the poor of Mississippi, Door Number Two has a concussion medicine stock scheme to enrich and employ the governor the day he leaves office, hard to imagine anyone stupid enough to think there isn't a connection.

Some have even suggested that Phil is the whistleblower and that he must be both smart and honest because he texted to the 5 Million Dollar Volleyball Stadium (and Concussion Drug) Man: “We are going to get there. This was a great meeting. But we have to follow the law. I am to[o] old for Federal Prison. [smiley face, sunglasses emoji].”

Just to be clear, the text above appears to have been written in reference to the concussion drug investment scheme, rather than the USM Volleyball Stadium scheme.

Doors Numbered Three through Nine have already been the subject of plea deals with likely more players and secret beneficiaries to be revealed.

Doors Ten through 24 still smell just as bad, they are probably giving lots of people some sleepless nights.


The current governor might be implicated in this scheme in at least one way as well. Say or think what you might about Haley Barbour, I sincerely doubt many who are informed would ever say Haley Barbour is anywhere near dumb enough to be embroiled in criming this stupid and well documented.

If most of us non-politicians did anything like this we would go to prison.

Mississippi politicians and their clingons occasionally go to a Club Fed and almost never go to prison.

Does anyone else wonder if Phil is pretty sure the state boys won't catch him, but the feds could if he isn't careful and smart?

The whole world is watching because they can't believe what Mississippi won't do this time.

Back up a few years and you'll see that Chris Epps also had an assistant AG on Hood's payroll who was assigned to Epps at DOC. His job was providing legal advice to Epps and keeping him honest in many things, including contract negotiations and relations with powerful political players (Hello Bennett Malone and wife). Coincidentally, the attorney is married to the lady who was, at the time, Epps No.1 confidant and 'comment writer'. I'm told both of them, soon after Epps shit hit the fan, left state government. To my knowledge, nobody in this particular scenario played professional football.

Anna Wolfe has done a good job generally, but her ideology is taking over from the reporting of late.

There are plenty of Democrats who had their hand in the TANF cookie jar, yet you don’t hear about that.
No, Anna is hard up for the Republican celebrities. I get that’s part of the big story, but it’s becoming redundant and turning a blind eye to others’ involvement dilutes the story to some degree.

I’d love to see more investigation into Shad White and his efforts to cover for Phil. It’s appears evident he did so, and is now trying to create a little separation. There’s a story there for sure.

Federal Block grant to the State and State must repaid if misspent. Then State must collect from local grantee. This starts as a matter between the 2 prime governments. As Federal waste and wrong doing goes this small stuff. This will go away. It shows how dumb people are but that is about all.