{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://benniethompson.house.gov/media/press-releases/thompson-ask-doj-investigate-phil-bryants-participation-directing-tanf-funds", "Thompson Ask DOJ to Investigate Phil Bryant\u2019s Participation In Directing TANF Funds to Ineligible Individuals", "2022-07-15", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "MS", "Bennie G. Thompson", "T000193", "benniethompson.house.gov", "benniethompson", "https://benniethompson.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "(Washington D.C.) \u2013 Today, Rep. Bennie G. Thompson released a letter to the Department of Justice regarding a recent court filing on the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program Embezzlement Scheme in Mississippi.\n\n\u201cIt has come to my attention that the State of Mississippi has consistently misspent Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. Specifically, Governor Phil Bryant is alleged to have steered money toward individuals who did not meet the criteria for eligibility.\u201d\n\nIn 2018, the Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) received $135 million in TANF dollars, yet $77 million of those dollars were misdirected due to the influence of the governor\u2019s office. Governor Phil Bryant has clearly taken actions consistent with ensuring Mississippi\u2019s poorest citizens are denied welfare funds meant to benefit their households.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://benniethompson.house.gov/media/press-releases/thompson-ask-doj-investigate-phil-bryants-participation-directing-tanf-funds"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.1120361741632223, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}