NFL Hall of Famer Brett Favre reveals Parkinson's diagnosis at House hearing

NFL Hall of Fame backmost Brett Favre told lawmakers helium was precocious diagnosed with Parkinson's illness arsenic helium testified Tuesday earlier the House Ways and Means Committee investigating Mississippi's misuse of payment funds -- a ungraded that has tainted the Green Bay Packers fable aft his retirement.

At a proceeding titled, "Reforming Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF): States' Misuse of Welfare Funds Leaves Poor Families Behind," the erstwhile backmost said authorities officials "failed to support national TANF funds from fraud and abuse" and past attempted to blasted him.

"When this started, I didn't cognize what TANF was. Now I cognize TANF is 1 of the country's astir important payment programs to assistance radical successful need," Favre testified.

Favre, wearing a sportscoat, untucked formal garment and bluish jeans, told the committee helium was precocious diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

"I besides mislaid an concern successful a institution that I judge was processing a breakthrough concussion cause I thought would assistance others, and I'm definite you'll recognize wherefore it's excessively precocious for me, due to the fact that I precocious been diagnosed with Parkinson's," Favre revealed.

Favre, 54, said helium is nether a gag bid that prevents him from discussing the details of the case. He has not been criminally charged but faces a civilian suit stemming from his advocacy to authorities officials to get national TANF funds.

At slightest $77 cardinal successful TANF funds, expected to beryllium fixed to mediocre families, were alternatively fixed to affluent people, according to a Mississippi authorities audit, ESPN reported.

"I judge that I got swept up successful a civilian suit astatine the instigation of State Auditor shading an ambitious nationalist authoritative who decided helium was determined to varnish my estimation to effort to beforehand his ain governmental career," Favre said.

Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., said TANF has been "undermined by rampant waste, fraud, and abuse" -- leaving less services for those who truly request them.

"But we each cognize this occupation is not constricted to Mississippi," Smith said, pointing astatine California and Michigan arsenic further examples. "How large a occupation is it? What is the complaint of improper payments? No 1 knows, due to the fact that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has ne'er reported a complaint of improper payment. Together, this deficiency of national protections has created the cleanable tempest for waste, fraud and abuse."

Smith explained that Favre's grounds "can assistance shed further airy connected the request to prosecute reforms to states' quality to walk TANF."

"We look guardant to proceeding his insights into however anemic national oversight and self-dealing authorities officials contributed to Mississippi's case," Smith said. "He saw however embezzlement and mismanagement wounded the radical whom payment is expected to help. Thank you for coming present and utilizing your sanction and level to gully attraction to the request for stronger national safeguards successful TANF spending to guarantee what happened successful Mississippi doesn't hap again."

Lawmakers were expected to property Favre astir his efforts to assistance money a volleyball installation astatine his alma mater, the University of Southern Mississippi, wherever his girl was a student-athlete, arsenic good arsenic Prevacus, a institution processing a concussion cause wherever Favre had invested important capital.

Text messages made nationalist successful ineligible filings amusement Favre pushed authorities officials for backing for the volleyball installation during the clip his girl was connected the team. The university's diversion instauration received $5 cardinal successful TANF funds. Favre donated $1.4 cardinal of his ain wealth to conception the facility, ESPN reported.

"I wanted to assistance my alma mater and payment the community," Favre testified. "I had nary mode of knowing that determination was thing incorrect with however the authorities funded the project, particularly since it was publically approved by galore authorities agencies and aggregate attorneys, including the lawyer general."

Favre was besides paid $1.1 cardinal from TANF funds for speeches the authorities auditor said Favre ne'er made. He paid that wealth back, but the auditor has demanded helium besides wage $228,000 successful interest, according to ESPN.

"Importantly, I person learned that cipher was oregon is watching however TANF funds are spent," Favre said. "I impulse Congress enactment down guardrails successful spot to guarantee that what happened successful Mississippi doesn't hap again."

Favre was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame successful 2016 aft a 20-year vocation with the Falcons, Packers, Jets and Vikings. He built his fable successful 16 years successful Green Bay, winning 3 consecutive MVPs from 1995-1997. He finished apical 5 successful MVP voting 4 different times arsenic well.

He owned the vocation grounds for astir passing yards and astir touchdowns erstwhile helium retired, though Tom Brady present holds some marks. Famously known arsenic a gunslinger astatine the QB position, helium inactive holds the ignominious grounds for astir vocation interceptions. He was besides famously durable successful his career, holding the grounds for astir consecutive starts (297).

He won his lone Super Bowl rubric successful January 1997 with a 35-21 triumph implicit the Patriots successful New Orleans.