SPLC Leadership Defends Informant Program Amid Federal Scrutiny
SPLC leadership defends informant program as necessary while facing federal fraud indictment and congressional scrutiny.
Event / Politics
SPLC Federal Fraud Indictment
The Southern Poverty Law Center faces federal fraud charges alleging it defrauded donors by funneling millions to informants embedded in extremist groups between 2014 and 2023.
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2026-08-18 to 2026-11-15 · UTC publication dates
Coverage begins 22 Apr, 01:37 UTC
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What happened
2012 mass shooting attempt at Family Research Council
Floyd Lee Corkins attempted a mass shooting at the Family Research Council headquarters in Washington D.C. on August 15, 2012. Corkins entered the building with a gun and a bag containing 15 sandwiches, planning to kill multiple people. He fired three shots, striking security guard Johnson once in the arm before being subdued. Corkins admitted he identified the Family Research Council through the SPLC's hate map and had planned to continue his attack at the Traditional Values Coalition, another organization listed on the map. He stated he chose Chick-fil-A sandwiches as a statement because the company had opposed gay marriage.
Southern Poverty Law Center faces internal misconduct allegations
The Southern Poverty Law Center fired co-founder Morris Dees following investigations into allegations of inappropriate behavior toward female employees and racially insensitive comments. Multiple witnesses reported Dees acting inappropriately with women subordinates, including leaving a Victoria's Secret catalog on an employee's desk in the mid-1980s. A 2017 complaint involved allegations about his behavior at a fundraising event in Atlanta.
House Judiciary Committee holds hearing on Southern Poverty Law Center
The House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government held a hearing in December examining the Southern Poverty Law Center's influence on federal civil rights policy, with the hearing titled 'Partisan and profitable: the SPLC's influence on federal civil rights policy.'
SPLC publishes newsletter about Turning Point USA one day before founder's death
The Southern Poverty Law Center published a newsletter about Turning Point USA on September 9, 2025, one day before Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed. A Turning Point producer later questioned whether the newsletter contributed to Kirk's assassination.
Southern Poverty Law Center announces DOJ criminal investigation
The Southern Poverty Law Center announced on Tuesday that it is under criminal investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice. The SPLC's interim CEO Bryan Fair stated in a video that the organization and potentially some of its employees could face criminal charges. Fair indicated the investigation appears to focus on the organization's prior use of paid confidential informants to gather intelligence on violent extremist groups.
Southern Poverty Law Center lists Turning Point USA as hate group
The Southern Poverty Law Center published an analysis in May 2025 characterizing Turning Point USA as a hate group, describing it as a well-funded, hard-right organization with links to hard-right extremists and noting its strategy involves exploiting concerns about white Christian supremacy and denigrating immigrants, the LGBTQ+ community, and civil rights activists.
FBI Director Kash Patel severs FBI ties with Southern Poverty Law Center
FBI Director Kash Patel announced that the FBI has severed all relationships with the Southern Poverty Law Center, citing concerns about the organization's 'hate map' and its characterization of mainstream organizations. Patel stated the SPLC had abandoned civil rights work and become a partisan organization, and that its hate map had been used to defame Americans and inspired violence.
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2 alternative perspectives
SPLC concealed millions in informant payments through shell entities
SPLC indicted for allegedly hiding $3M in informant payments from donors through shell entities.
Apple's Tim Cook resigns as CEO amid SPLC corporate ties scrutiny
Apple CEO Tim Cook resigns as SPLC faces criminal investigation and fraud indictment.
Political figures respond sharply to SPLC fraud indictment charges
Political figures divide sharply over SPLC fraud indictment, with Democrats attacking the charges.
SPLC designated parent activist groups as anti-government extremists
SPLC classified parent activist groups as anti-government extremists on its Hate Map.
Grand jury indicts SPLC on fraud charges involving field sources
Alabama grand jury indicts SPLC for fraud involving payments to field sources and shell company concealment.
SPLC hate map cited in 2012 shooting attempt at Family Research Council
2012 Family Research Council shooting attempt highlights real-world consequences of SPLC hate designations amid federal scrutiny.
SPLC staff allegations emerge amid federal and congressional scrutiny
Internal misconduct allegations surface at SPLC amid ongoing federal investigation and congressional scrutiny.
SPLC's hate group designations face renewed scrutiny amid investigation
SPLC's hate group designation of Turning Point USA faces scrutiny amid broader federal investigation.
DOJ Investigation Triggers FBI's Severance of SPLC Partnership
DOJ investigation into SPLC triggers FBI severance and House Judiciary Committee hearing.