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- The Mississippi Supreme Court denied State Auditor Shad White’s appeal to dismiss Brett Favre’s defamation lawsuit.
- The lawsuit stems from social media posts by White concerning Favre’s alleged role in the Mississippi welfare scandal.
- Favre has repaid over $1 million in misspent welfare funds but is being sued by White for additional interest.
- A court date for the defamation case has not yet been set.
It looks like State Auditor Shad White and former NFL quarterback Brett Favre will head to a Hinds County circuit courtroom to argue determine whether White made defamatory statements online about the former football player.
On Thursday, the state supreme court denied White’s appeal asking the court to consider dismissing Favre’s lawsuit against him on the grounds that White’s statements were not defamatory.
In March, White petitioned the state’s highest court for an interlocutory appeal, which is an appeal on a specific matter in a case while the rest of the case is ongoing.
In the case of White’s defamation suit, White filed the appeal after the judge denied White’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.
“The facts of this case have not changed and Auditor White will continue to defend himself from this ridiculous and frivolous lawsuit,” said Jacob Walters, the Office of State Auditor communications director, via text.
Favre initially filed the defamation suit against White in 2023 for social media posts calling Favre’s character into question and also about a civil case surrounding the Mississippi welfare scandal, in which individuals and companies collectively took millions of dollars from the state’s Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds through the Mississippi Department of Human Service
Those TANF funds were supposed to be funneled to the state’s poorest and most needy residents, but they weren’t, and Favre has repaid more than $1 million in TANF dollars he received for speaking engagements. White is also suing Favre to pay back about $729,000 in interest he allegedly owes on those funds. Farve has not been charged with any crimes in connection to the welfare scandal.
With the appeal now denied, Walters said White and his legal team will likely have to argue his case to the court in person, Walters said. As of Friday morning, no hearing or trial date had been set.
Grant McLaughlin covers state government for the Clarion Ledger. He can be reached at gmclaughlin@gannett.com or 972-571-2335.