From the Austin American-Statesman’s Marty Toohey.

Drew Brees (above) wants no part of his mother’s political aspirations.

The NFL quarterback and Westlake High School graduate has told Mina Brees, an Austin attorney, to stop using his picture in TV commercials as she runs for a spot on Texas’ 3rd Court of Appeals, saying their relationship is now “nonexistent” after souring six years ago.

“I think the major point here is that my mother is using me in a campaign, and I’ve made it known many times I don’t want to be involved,” he said Monday.

The commercial in question has been airing on local stations. It includes a picture of Drew Brees in a San Diego Chargers uniform (his former team) and notes Mina Brees’ football ties: She is also the daughter of a successful high school coach and the sister of former University of Texas quarterback Marty Akins.

Mina Brees, a Democrat, is running for a spot on the court that reviews civil and criminal cases from 24 counties in Central and West Texas. Her opponent is incumbent Republican Justice David Puryear.

Drew Brees said that when he heard about the spots, he called his mother and asked her to stop them. She did not return his calls or stop using his image, he said, and his agent sent her a letter Oct. 20 threatening legal action.

Mina Brees, 56, said a version of the spot that omits mentions of her son Drew was taped last week and sent to TV stations Friday.

During his senior year at Purdue, the QB said, their relationship crumbled after he refused to hire her as his agent. He said she later undercut his dealings with other agents and tried to sell a book about him to Sports Illustrated without his knowledge.

“There is definitely history,” he said. “It’s got nothing to do with my career path. I’ve just gotten older, and my eyes have opened to the lies and manipulation.”

He added that her commercials were sending a message of, ” ‘If you don’t know much about the election, vote for me because I know Drew’ . . . and that is a shame because the political process should be decided on your credentials.”

No word on how this might impact Marv Marinovich’s independent presidential bid in 2008, though he might wanna consider using pictures of Vince Young in his local commercials.

(photo taken from Jeopardy Archive, used without permission)