Welfare scandal sharpens contrasts in long-poor Mississippi

Brandy Nichols, a single mother of four children who are 8 and younger, speaks to members of the Mississippi House and Senate Democratic Caucuses, about the difficulty of obtaining Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds in Mississippi, Oct. 18, 2022, in Jackson. Funds from the program designed to help low-income families with children achieve economic self-sufficiency, were misspent and lawmakers are seeking to gain a better understanding of the welfare scandal. Credit: Rogelio V. Solis / AP Photo

JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI — In Mississippi, where elected officials have a long history of praising self-sufficiency and condemning federal antipoverty programs, a welfare scandal has exposed how millions of dollars were diverted to the rich and powerful — including pro athletes — instead of helping some of the neediest people in the nation.

The misuse of welfare money rankles Nsombi Lambright-Haynes, executive director of One Voice, a nonprofit that works to help economically vulnerable communities in Mississippi.

“It’s shameful and disgusting, especially when we’ve been a state where we hear discussion every year about poor people […]