CRIMINAL CAPITALI$M
Wrestler alleges Bryant threatened Tupelo nonprofit over ties to Democratic officials

Taylor Vance, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo
Mon, September 26, 2022 at 7:18 PM·3 min read

Sep. 26—TUPELO — A former professional wrestler tied to Mississippi's welfare scandal claims he witnessed former Gov. Phil Bryant tell an agency leader to cut funding to the Tupelo-based Family Resource Center because of its connections to Democratic officials in the state.

According to a federal court filing unsealed on Friday, former WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. says that in 2019, Bryant, a Republican, directed former welfare agency leader John Davis to cut ties with FRC of North Mississippi because Christi Webb, the nonprofit's director, was "openly supporting" Jim Hood, the Democratic nominee for governor that year.

Bryant's attorney, William Quinn, called DiBiase's claim "ridiculous."

"Governor Bryant made no such threat," Quinn said, adding that funding decisions were left to Davis.

Casey Lott, an attorney for the FRC, said that he is not surprised by DiBiase's allegation because it's what the nonprofit leaders "suspected all along."

"We now have first-hand proof and confirmation that this actually occurred," Lott said.

Christi Webb, the director of the FRC, hired Debbie Hood, the wife of former Democratic Attorney General Jim Hood, to run the organization's operations in Chickasaw County, where the Hood family currently lives.

Lott has also alleged that a north Mississippi lawmaker sent word on behalf of Bryant to the nonprofit's leaders that they should fire Debbie Hood or else they would lose public funding.

Lott has declined to reveal the identity of the lawmaker, but a person familiar with the organization identified the legislator as state Sen. Chad McMahan.

The leaders have also speculated that both Debbie Hood's name and the FRC were mentioned at a meeting between Bryant, Davis and McMahan to discuss funding for a separate Lee County nonprofit to receive welfare dollars.

McMahan, R-Guntown, has denied the allegations, but FBI agents have questioned the Lee County lawmaker about the meeting, as previously reported by the Daily Journal.

DiBiase's revelation in federal court marks a significant development in the massive welfare scandal because it directly alleges the former governor used welfare dollars to pressure the Northeast Mississippi nonprofit.

DiBiase's allegations first came to light in 2020 when federal prosecutors attempted to seize DiBiase's $1.5 million Madison home, which they alleged was purchased with federal welfare funds.

The complaint was filed under seal. News outlet Mississippi Today, which first reported DiBiase's allegations, asked the court to unseal the complaint. A judge agreed to its request on Sept. 23.

Davis pleaded guilty on Sept. 22 to federal and state charges related to funneling welfare payments to DiBiase. Two nonprofits — the FRC and the Mississippi Community Education Center — allegedly served as the conduits to supply the funds from the state agency to DiBiase.

Nancy New, the director of the FRC, has pleaded guilty to state bribery charges in connection to the welfare scandal.

State leaders in a civil suit have accused the FRC and its leaders of misspending millions of welfare dollars. The organization has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.

taylor.vance@djournal.com