Jackson Jambalaya

I feel that the Pulitzer was prematurely given to MS Today. The story is still very sketchy without any hard evidence that the good Governor did anything.

For the People, By God!

They can probably see this bluff all the way from Alabama. Phil would never voluntarily testify about any of this and he certainly isn’t going to open the can of worms himself by filing the suit. Take your loss and move on Phil. Trying to make a big stink about how he was wronged doesn’t play well and will only make investigators more enthusiastic to find out his involvement. Everybody hates a hypocrite.

Just remember, he gets discovery too although the Judge can seal the case and make them submit all documents en camera.

The publisher screwed up. Do they have any proof he embezzled?

The Pulitzer means nothing, no more than a participation trophy given out to a T-ball squad member means. So, I say let her have it.

@4:09 While I would agree that we haven't seen hard evidence of a crime, saying we haven't seen anything - i.e., evidence of bad acts by Bryant and his "cronies" - is false.

Phil Good: "Bikini basketball is stimulating for the Poor."

I'm no lawyer and can't help wondering Bryant's counsel is either.

I suggest that Bryant's lawyer visit those sections of the law that relate to defamation and the literal impossibility of 'defaming' a public figure who is also an elected political office holder.

Go right ahead and file suit Philly Billy. The truth is an absolute defense to defamation. Do you really want to risk it? I mean, the defendants would be able to get discovery regarding any possible involvement in the scandal. Are your hands really that clean? I didn't think so. Just go home and be quite Philly.

I’m ready to see an Apple engineer on the stand explain how Phil deleted his text messages. Phil claims all the incriminating texts just disappeared and he even tried getting Apple to help retrieve them, but he’s so obviously lying that it’s almost comical.

@kimfish - discovery doesn’t do much good if all the text messages and emails have been deleted. Phil should know this better than most as he’s trying to weasel out of it with this same tactic. How is he going to prove actual malice with all the shady crap he’s done?

Where does he file suit?

The most interesting depositions will be Donna Barksdale's and Deborah Bryant's.

Seems the publisher's tongue outran her brain. Embezzlement is a specific term.

She might have outran her checkbook too if she doesn't retract.

Guess Phil does want a jury to decide if he's a crook. What's that they say about truth being a defense?

Yes KF, "misappropriated' or 'misdirected' better then 'embezzled'. Mr. Davis, the News' Summit School mother-son duo (did they offer new Bikini Volleyball scholarships?), plus an ex NFL player and ex wrestler all had bizarre methods of helping poor families.

I think the larger story is how Southern Miss took 5 Million of Welfare Money to subsidize a sport that has 3-4 hundred people in attendance per match and refuse to pay it back to children whose parents can’t afford to eat. And at the same time increasing the cost of attendance.

I can only surmise that Governor Phil was the Head of State Government when all this happened. If necessary, he will get a fair trail in Manhattan I mean Mississippi!

Governor Phil Bryant we know you didn’t do anything wrong.! Wink!

I don’t understand why they alleging you were involved! Wink Wink!

Phil has as much chance in court as his buddy had in the Rape/Defamation case. He will testify and still lose.

No matter how you try to convince someone your are not a crook, the ones real close to you know the truth. And the ones you are trying to convince do not give a rats ass!

Now, I just wish you would have left John Davis in Lincoln County so he could be enjoying life after years of service as you and yours.

I hope Phil burns their ass. They specifically stated he embezzled money. That is a factual statement that is either true, or not true. If Mississippi Today doesn't have proof, then they need to pay up (Fox News and Dominion for example).

Go get them Phil. No idea why conservative constantly allow the Left and its propaganda arm control the narrative in this Country.

After watching the Barksdaler (and Ms Wolfe's personal) surrogate[s] spin so hard on Twitter over the past 24 hours to misdirect away from this unforced, but major, error I knew right away the podcast was all about damage control.

But they love, love, love them some Democrat Delbert Hosemann!

MT, simply replace the word, embezzled, and apologize and continue reporting.
RMQ

Near the beginning: "Yup. Ms. White flat out side former Governor Phil Bryant embezzled while in office."

Say again?

And, maybe Earle Banks got the $ and didn't report it...

What does Donna Barksdale have to do with this mess?

Cute letter. Where’s the lawsuit?

What does Donna Barksdale have to do with this mess?

She's got you fooled.

Tyler, stick to sports.

Dear Brad:

MT and Wolfe didn't break the story.

It was a simple question. You obviously don’t know the answer.

Why are so many folks having an orgasim about a Pulitzer Prize from left wing Columbia University ... being awarded to little Miss left wing Wolfe ?

A Pulitzer Prize ain't what it once was.

Poor choice of words by the lady, should have waited until Phil was in prison. But does not change the fact that Phil is a crook and directed welfare money to cronies.

Plus one for Phil's lawyers. But they will regret taking him as a client.

4:42, that is the least of all concerns. Phil steered that money, that is much more of a concern.

The fact that USM offered up the facility for programming and the state did not take advantage of it means the state steered this money, not USM.

A lot of people have had trouble separating their dislike for Phil Bryant - either politically or even personally - and what they have been demanding from regulatory and law enforcement authorities. There's a reason lady justice wears that blindfold. If it were your own behind on the line or that of a family member, you would certainly claim innocence until proven guilty. Maybe more is coming, maybe not. But I'm more persuaded by evidence than a media outlet.

lol He is/was a public figure you idiots. Defamation is impossible.

Ms today is begging Phil to sue and they will continue. They would love nothing more than to have a court case over the whole issue. And they would get all kinds of exposure. They would even pay his legal fees probably. It is a win win for them. Ms today has not misspent federal funds or even appear to have misspent federal funds, phil has done so. Misspent is not necessarily a crime but boy does it look bad. And it might be a crime we don’t know yet. But bad boy news sells and that’s what they want!

“Conspiracy to gaslight” is a cause of action now? I wouldn’t lose any sleep if I were Wolfe or Ganucheau.

And Y’all wonder why I pronounce it Missippi .

Interesting that the law firm of Charlie Ross and Mike Wallace is defending Mississippi Today. That will be a problem for them and their clients in Republican politics.

Phil will never see a day of prison. Phil didn’t do anything illegal. Stupid or moronic maybe. But not illegal. Watch and you will see I’m correct.

Attn 4:42 When have you seen 600 people attending a “volley ball” game at Southern Ms. Or for that matter at a football game there?

4:42:

“…and refuse to pay it back to children whose parents can’t afford to eat.”

Pay it BACK? Like the money was something those deadbeat parents had been taken AWAY from them? Give me a break.

I’m glad the money was used like it was and not wasted on loser parents that refuse to take the responsibility for their children.

At the end of the day, both Favre and Bryant did NOTHING illegal.

Laughing, HOWLING at the people claiming MT will find the actual embezzlement in discovery.

He is probably guilty, but has not been indicted yet. Too early for her to say something like that.

A defamation claim against a public figure is difficult to win. but certainly not impossible. The plaintiff must prove that the statement is defamatory, which an accusation of embezzlement is on its face. The statement must be shown to be false, and presumably Bryant will be able to show through documentary evidence showing where the funds went. The defendant must know that the statement was false or it was made with reckless disregard for the truth (malice). The last of these requirement is generally the most difficult to prove. Proof must be clear and convincing. Difficult, but not impossible.

Thoroughly disappointed you didn’t incorporate a Bugs Bunny meme or GIF with that quote.

Lol Pheeeeel had to wait and send that until his talking head Latino did his little opinion piece so they could have stuff to cite. Phil’s desperate and just know something is coming down the pipe and needs to have a little distraction. Feel the pressure and pivot.

Phil trying to play hardball. Don’t threaten a suit, just sue them if you mean it.

Phil and his attorneys are right: Stupidity and incompetence are a great defense against the crime of embezzlement.

A Pulitzer is like a Nobel. Even Nobama received one on the come.

Attn 10:56 p.m. Written like a true drop out from law school. Keep trying!

(Narrator): “The former governor will not, in fact, file suit.

And all this time I thought it was the "Pullet Surprise".

I dislike both so I say let them fight!

Power Corrupts, Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely. Unfortunately, Mississippi has more than its share of corrupt, lying, sleazy politicians. It wouldn't matter as much who controls the gov't if the gov't wasn't as powerful and intrusive. Think on that the next time you start to say "There aught to be a law"

"Pay it BACK? Like the money was something those deadbeat parents had been taken AWAY from them? Give me a break."

Well he's not wrong.

Hey, May 11 9:10 a.m.

Your post assumes that the power brokers running repub politics these days give a tinker's damn about Phil Bryant or which lawyers are repping enemies of Phil.

10:56, is right, and 8:02, you clearly don't know how torts work. 25 years in, they still work like I was taught in law school.

Whoever believes this is naive. Quinn is sword rattling. That's it. Scared to death of actually taking a swing because he knows what could happen to his client in litigation if he steps in the ring. If he wanted to fight and thought he'd win, he wouldn't file a letter threatening to sue, he'd sue. Can't get bloody writing letters to the press like you can if you file a complaint.

@9:55 am gets it.

@10:05
Pay it BACK? Like the money was something those deadbeat parents had been taken AWAY from them? Give me a break.
I’m glad the money was used like it was and not wasted on loser parents that refuse to take the responsibility for their children.



So children should be punished just because their parents are irresponsible? I agree there are some deadbeats out there - moms and dads - but children are innocents and they should benefit from these funds meant for them.

And Bryant and Favre did do something wrong I believe deep down. It's just a matter of time before it comes to light. Makes me sick because I'm a USM alum.

9:10, who at Wise Carter represents MS Today? My experiences with that firm have been positive. And, for what it is worth, I doubt the firm will suffer any hits for representing MS Today...and it should not.
RMQ

Using it for a volleyball stadium would be the best use of welfare funds in the last 50 years. Poverty is a problem from the last century. Poverty today is based on unaccountability, laziness and personal choice. Start taking cell phones, TVs, and booze away and you will start getting closer to where (maybe) poverty could be seen on the horizon.

11:41 AM,
You think children ever get welfare money "intended for them"?
HAHAHAHAHHAHA!!!!!!!
You haven't been around many welfare recipients, have you?

May 10, 2023 at 5:58 PM You insert your irrelevant to this post comment: "But they love, love, love them some Democrat Delbert Hosemann!"

I am a Republican. Delbert is a Republican and an excellent public servant.
I don't know what you and Chris McDaniel are, but I know we need no part of him in any office. He is an egotistical danger.

@10:56 - the law requires a notice letter before filing suit. Quin can't file suit without notice. Quin will come out swinging if they don't retract. Bank on it.

@4:42, the post regarding the elements of a defamation claim against a public official addressed the claim that it was impossible to win a defamation case by a public official. The comment set forth the substantive elements of a defamation case by a public official under Supreme Court precedent. It wasn’t intended to address pre-suit procedural requirements under Mississippi law. But thanks for clarifying why Quin sent the letter.
@8:02, LOL. I suggest you read some Supreme Court decisions on defamation. Any law student who has studied defamation and the First Amendment should be able to point you in right direction.

There is nothing like a pissed off ex highway patrolman (Guv. Phil).

@9:28- you’re right. My mistake. The notice issue should have been directed @ 6:56 and @9:55 am posts suggesting Quin is saber rattling and would have filed suit in lieu of a letter if he really intended to sue.

Quite a few attorneys on here enjoying their (perceived) ability to string words together in absolutely meaningless fashion.

Just not enough Latin to hold my interest.

“So children should be punished just because their parents are irresponsible? I agree there are some deadbeats out there - moms and dads - but children are innocents and they should benefit from these funds meant for them.”

This line of thinking is why we have unmarried welfare mothers popping out welfare babies left and right. Paying the very people who can’t support their kids to have more kids. And paying them even more if the father is not around. Been going on since the sixties and has absolutely destroyed the AA family structure.

I believe a lot of you misunderstand the definition of embezzlement included below. Phil has no chance to win a liable verdict unless he proves the texts that Wolfe published were false and known to her to be false.

Embezzlement is the fraudulent taking of personal property by someone to whom it was entrusted. It is most often associated with the misappropriation of money. Embezzlement can occur regardless of whether the defendant keeps the personal property or transfers it to a third party.

Historically, embezzlement became a crime because thefts were occurring in which the elements of larceny could not be met because the thief had the right to possess the funds; thus, the prosecution could not prove the element of a “trespassory taking.” Meanwhile, proving embezzlement only requires showing either that the employee had possession of the goods or funds because of the employee’s position or that the employee had the authority to exercise substantial control over the goods or funds. Courts determine the question of substantial control by considering the employee’s job title, job description, and the practices of that company. Some states also have fraudulent conversion statutes, which provide for the criminalization of actions that border between larceny and embezzlement. The government can also charge individuals with attempted embezzlement.

@10:33- that's an awful lot of words. This is a simple matter. There are 4 issues at hand here.

1. Embezzlement requires proof that: 1) the alleged offender falls within the embezzlement statute and 2) the alleged offender converted property. Bryant meets the first part because he was a public official. But there is no proof that he converted property. When someone says otherwise, simply ask them to point you to the evidence - not speculation, not innuendo.

2. Bryant does not contend that Wolfe defamed him. He contends that MT CEO Mary Margaret White did so. And, in the absence of any proof of conversion, he's correct.

3. White's defamatory comments were made while speaking on behalf of MT at a Knight Foundation conference. Because she was acting on behalf of MT, MT is civilly liable for her wrongdoing just the same as any other employer is liable for the torts of its employees made in the course and scope of their jobs.

4. Wolfe and Ganucheau knew good-and-well that White had defamed Bryant when they stated on a MT podcast that no one affiliated with MT had ever accused Bryant of a crime. They were, in fact, directly addressing the articles that had already been run by other media outlets addressing White's comments. These actions walk awfully close to a conspiracy, which is what Bryant alleges in his letter.

Bryant can attempt to use an "ignorance" defense - but "willful ignorance" of his responsibilities over budgetary federal funds is the difference - and the crime.

11:03 - That, too, was an awful lot of words.

Do you maintain that Bryant did not have and exercise substantial control of the TANF funds? Keep in mind that there are multiple parties ready to testify 'yes' to both pieces of that question.

Do you deny that exercising control of and the unlawful shifting of those funds meets the definition (cited above) for embezzlement?

Along with the questions asked by 12:09PM there are also the questions raised by the apparently intertwined (intertwined both in time and by many of the same players and pots of TANF funds) alleged volleyball stadium financing plans and the alleged concussion drug financing plans and the alleged offer of some sort of stock benefit to the governor while he was still governor, which he claimed he couldn't even consider until the day after he left office.



https://mississippitoday.org/2022/04/04/phil-bryant-brett-favre-prevacus-welfare-scandal/

@12:09- the answer to your first question is yes. Bryant did not exercise such control. There is no evidence he did & there’s a lot of evidence he did not. Your second question is moot due to the answer of the first. The great thing here is we all get to find out. If MT doesn’t meet Bryant’s demands, he’ll sue them. And he might sue them anyway.

11:20- there’s no intertwining. Favre asked Bryant to help raise private funds for the VB center. And he did not direct MDHS or TANF funds to Prevacus. Again, we all get to find out when Bryant files suit.

You know what else we may discover? Who leaked the texts to Wolfe? Did she exchange favors for them? What kind of favors?

I hereby declare the "unofficial" Winner of the Thread is May 12 @ 11:03 AM and May 14 @ 4:26 PM (probably the same person)!!!

Congratulations! Good analysis.

PS - One question: Wouldn't MT & White have the burden of proving that Bryant had in fact embezzled, rather than Bryant having to prove he didn't (having to prove a negative and all that)? Thanks.