Nettleton - Today, Presley for Governor launched a new TV ad, “Helped Get,” a thirty-second ad exposing how Tainted Tate Reeves helped get his personal trainer $1.3 million in taxpayer dollars as part of the largest public corruption scandal in state history where $77 million was lost, embezzled and stolen from education and job programs for Mississippi families and then diverted to pet projects of Tate Reeves’ well-connected friends and campaign contributors.

WATCH: 

Independent reports link Tate Reeves to Mississippi’s $77 million dollar corruption scandal when Tate Reeves met with his personal trainer, Paul Lacoste, and John Davis, the then-Mississippi welfare director who is now sentenced to 32 years in prison for his role in the welfare scandal. A few days later, Davis was inspired by his meeting with Reeves to order his deputy director to covertly funnel $1.3 million into Paul Lacoste’s fitness program, which he called Reeves’ “fitness issue.” Davis texted that Reeves was “very supportive” of the scheme to transfer taxpayer dollars meant for working families to Lacoste’s fitness boot camps.

At the time, Reeves praised Lacoste, writing, “Paul has been my trainer a long time and he’s a great friend. He’s put me through some tough workouts over the years, but I always know he’s got my back. Glad he’s got my back in this race!”

Lacoste then used the stolen taxpayer dollars to pay himself a monthly salary of “about $11,000,” buy himself a $70,000 vehicle and a $20,000 trailer and treat himself and others to steak dinners. He made enough money from stolen welfare funds that the fitness boot camps he hosted were free for politicians like Tate Reeves.

“Tate Reeves’ own personal trainer received $1.3 million of Mississippians’ hard-earned taxpayer dollars while millions more were stolen from education and jobs programs meant for working families. And once the investigator got too close to his buddies, Tate Reeves fired the investigator, indefinitely delaying 13 depositions so Tate Reeves could protect his rich friends,” said Ron Owens, Campaign Manager for Presley For Governor. 

Watch the ad here and view a full transcript below:

VO: Tate Reeves has a personal trainer and Reeves helped get that trainer $1.3 million of your tax dollars. 

[ANCHOR]: Mississippi’s former welfare director said he was acting on behalf of then-Lieutenant Governor Tate Reeves when he funneled $1.3 million into a fitness program. 

VO: Millions more were stolen from education and jobs programs and given to Reeves’ rich friends. 

VO: Reeves even fired the investigator assigned to the case. 

VO: Learn more at TaintedTateReeves.com.

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