Brett Favre podcast, radio show suspended amid welfare scandal

ESPN Milwaukee and SiriusXM have put holds on shows featuring former NFL quarterback Brett Favre amid questions about the ex-Green Bay Packer’s ties to a welfare controversy in Mississippi.

SiriusXM put Favre’s show, “The SiriusXM Blitz With Brett Favre and Bruce Murray,” on hold, Front Office Sports reported over the weekend. Favre has not appeared on the podcast since Sept. 13.

ESPN Milwaukee put a pause on Favre’s weekly radio appearances, according to Front Office Sports.

The Hill has reached out to Good Karma Brands, which owns ESPN Milwaukee, and SiriusXM for comment.

Favre allegedly communicated with former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant (R) and other officials to use at least $5 million of the state’s welfare funds to build a volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Last week, text messages between Favre, Bryant and others from 2017 to 2019 shed new light on the extent of their communications to obtain additional money to build the volleyball stadium, including the welfare funds.

Favre is an alumni of Southern Mississippi, and his daughter started playing volleyball at the college in 2017.

The controversy has consumed the state as officials seek to claw back money that was misspent and new revelations are made public.

Last week, John Davis, the former director of the Mississippi Department of Human Services, pleaded guilty to federal and state charges related to the controversy, according to the Associated Press.

Nancy New, who ran a nonprofit called the Mississippi Community Education Center that received welfare funds, pleaded guilty in April and has cooperated with authorities, the AP reported.

New’s nonprofit, which paid Favre $1.1 million for speaking engagements he never gave, had also communicated with Favre about building the volleyball stadium, according to Mississippi Today.

Mississippi’s Department of Human Services filed a civil lawsuit against Favre and others in May, seeking to recoup more than $20 million in misspent welfare money.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.