Shad White

Last updated

Rina Thomas
​
​
(m. 2017)​
Shad White
Shad White.jpg
42nd Auditor of Mississippi
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 17, 2018
Children3
Education University of Mississippi (BA)
St John's College, Oxford (MS)
Harvard University (JD)
Military service
AllegianceFlag of the United States.svg  United States
Branch/serviceFlag of the United States Air Force.svg  United States Air Force
Years of service2020–present
Rank Captain
Unit Mississippi Air National Guard

Shadrack Tucker White (born September 22, 1985) is an American politician and attorney serving as the 42nd State Auditor of Mississippi since 2018. A member of the Republican Party, White is the first millennial to hold statewide office in the Deep South. He was appointed to the position by Governor Phil Bryant in July 2018 and was subsequently elected without opposition in 2019. White won reelection in 2023 with 59% of the vote.

Contents

Born and raised in Sandersville, Mississippi, White attended the University of Mississippi, where he earned degrees in economics and political science. He was named a Rhodes Scholar in 2008 and went on to study economic and social history at St. John's College, Oxford, earning a Master of Science degree. White later earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School in 2014.

He previously served as Director of the Mississippi Justice Institute. [1] He is a Certified Fraud Examiner. [2]

Early life and education

White was born on September 22, 1985, in Sandersville, Mississippi. White's father, Charles Robert White, and grandfather, Charles Raymond White, were oilfield pumpers. [3] His mother, Emily Morgan White, was a public school art teacher. [3] White grew up in Sandersville, Mississippi, and attended Sandersville Elementary and Northeast Jones High School. He was a Lindy-Callahan Scholar-Athlete for the state in 2004. [4]

White attended the University of Mississippi and received an undergraduate degree in economics and political science in 2008. He worked for The Pew Charitable Trusts from 2008-2009 as a State Policy Fellow. [5] In 2008, White was named a Rhodes Scholar. [6] He studied economic and social history at St John's College, Oxford, earning a Master of Science degree, and rowed crew. [7] In 2010, White's home county named March 24 "Shad White Day." [8] "

White earned a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard Law School [9] in 2014. While in law school, White was President of the Harvard chapter of the Federalist Society. [10] [11]

Career

In 2010, White worked as Policy and Research Director for Alan Nunnelee's successful campaign for Congress. [12] White was later hired by Phil Bryant to work as Director of Policy in Bryant's office while Bryant was serving as Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi. [13] In 2015, White again worked for Bryant as campaign manager for Bryant's re-election campaign. [14]

From 2016 to 2017, White worked as a litigation attorney at Butler Snow, LLP, [15] in Ridgeland, Mississippi. During that time, he also served as a special prosecutor in Rankin County, Mississippi. [1] [10] In December 2017, White was named as the director of the Mississippi Justice Institute. While White served as Director, the Mississippi Justice Institute successfully [16] defended the constitutionality of charter schools in Mississippi in a trial court and won an Open Meetings Act case against the Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors [17] and Natchez city government. [18] [19]

He is a Certified Fraud Examiner. [2]

State auditor

On July 6, 2018, Governor Phil Bryant announced that he would appoint White to serve as Mississippi's State Auditor following the resignation of Stacey Pickering. White is the first millennial to serve in a statewide office in the Deep South. [20] Most political observers were surprised by his appointment. [21]

White was elected as State Auditor with no opposition in 2019. [22] He won reelection in 2023 with 59% of the vote. [23]

During his time as State Auditor, White's office has investigated the largest public fraud scheme in state history. [24] White's office also investigated pharmacy benefit managers, resulting in the largest civil settlement from a State Auditor's investigation in state history. [25] White developed a program to increase government efficiency which was modeled after a similar program created by Rob Sand, the Democratic Iowa State Auditor. [26] [27]

In February 2023, Brett Favre filed a defamation lawsuit against White, alleging White made false and defamatory statements related to Favre's ties to the Mississippi welfare scandal. [28] In February 2024, White filed a counter suit as auditor asking the court to require Favre "...to repay the principal and interest he owes on $1.1 million in welfare funds." [29] In August 2024, White published Mississippi Swindle: Brett Favre and the Welfare Scandal that Shocked America, which gives his perspective on the scandal. [30]

Personal life

White is married to Rina White (née Thomas); they have two daughters and a son, and live in Flowood, Mississippi. They are members at St. Richard Church. [31]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Mississippi Justice Institute - Mississippi Center for Public Policy". Mississippi Center for Public Policy . May 9, 2019. Retrieved November 6, 2019.
  2. 1 2 "Mississippi Office of the State Auditor - Shad White" . Retrieved January 28, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "NEJ grad sworn in as state auditor". Laurel Leader-Call. July 23, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  4. ↑ Past Lindy Callahan Scholar-Athlete Winners. "Past Lindy Callahan Scholar-Athlete Winners – Mississippi High School Activities Association". Misshsaa.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Shad White New State Auditor, Values Public Service and Accountability". Delta Business Journal. October 2, 2018. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Sandersville Native Shad White Wins Coveted Rhodes Scholarship - Ole Miss News". News.olemiss.edu. November 21, 2008. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  7. ↑ "SJCBC - St John's College, Oxford, Boat Club - Crews". Info.sjc.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  8. ↑ "#2,188 Shad + Reeder Wedding + Movie Night". Laurel Mercantile Co. December 20, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Justice Institute fights for open government, individual liberty - The Dispatch". Cdispatch.com. May 31, 2018. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Shadrack White Named Head of Mississippi Justice Institute". December 5, 2017.
  11. ↑ "Congratulations to the Harvard... - Harvard Federalist Society". Facebook. March 10, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  12. ↑ McCreery, Teresa. "State Auditor Shad White to graduates: "own" your destiny". impact601.com. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  13. ↑ "Gov. Phil Bryant names new state auditor to replace Stacey Pickering". The Clarion Ledger. Retrieved September 24, 2019.
  14. ↑ "Slater running for governor, says Bryant has 'failed'". Clarionledger.com. February 19, 2015. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  15. ↑ "Pro Te: Solutio – Summer 2016". Butler Snow. January 17, 2017. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  16. ↑ Shad White (February 13, 2018). "Victory for charter schools in Mississippi - Mississippi Center for Public Policy". Mspolicy.org. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  17. ↑ Downard, Whitney (June 15, 2018). "Lauderdale County Board of Supervisors drops appeal over ethics violation | Local News". meridianstar.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Justice group works to fight for citizen rights". m.natchezdemocrat.com. May 25, 2018. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  19. ↑ Kroeger, Garrett (August 5, 2018). "Ethics report finds Natchez violated Open Meetings Act". m.natchezdemocrat.com. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  20. ↑ "Get Access". Clarionledger.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  21. ↑ Pender, Geoff; Wolfe, Anna (May 12, 2022). "Former auditors question whether Shad White was too close to investigate Phil Bryant". Mississippi Today. Nonprofit Mississippi News. Retrieved August 18, 2022.
  22. ↑ "MISSISSIPPI ELECTIONS: Shad White projected to be elected as State Auditor". WKRG News 5. November 6, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Mississippi Election Results". The New York Times. November 7, 2023. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  24. ↑ "'Largest Public Fraud In State History': Mississippi Lawsuit Against Brett Favre and Others Untangles Web of Squandered, Misspent Millions Intended to Help the Poorest In The State". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  25. ↑ "Mississippi receives $55 million in civil settlement". MPB — Mississippi Public Broadcasting. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  26. ↑ White, Shad (February 2, 2022). "GUEST COLUMN: New Award Honors Good, Efficient Government". The Vicksburg Post. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  27. ↑ Hawk, Emily (April 14, 2022). "Sand: 'I'm interested in public service.'". Oskaloosa Herald. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
  28. ↑ "Brett Favre Sues Shannon Sharpe, Pat McAfee for Defamation". October 3, 2023. Archived from the original on October 3, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  29. ↑ "State Auditor Counter-Sues Favre for TANF Funds | MS State Auditor". www.osa.ms.gov. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  30. ↑ Bartlett, Anne (August 6, 2024). "Book review of Mississippi Swindle by Shad White". BookPage. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  31. ↑ "Mississippi Office of the State Auditor". www.osa.ms.gov. Retrieved September 24, 2019.


Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for State Auditor of Mississippi
2019, 2023 		Most recent
Political offices
Preceded by Auditor of Mississippi
2018–present		Incumbent
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