The Southern Poverty Law Center was federally indicted on April 21 for allegedly funneling millions of dollars to the very racist and extremist groups it claimed to be fighting, including the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nation, the American Front, United Klans of America, and the National Socialist Party of America.The Alabama-headquartered smear- and fearmongering racket — charged with six counts of wire fraud, four counts of making false statements to a federally insured bank, and one count of conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering — pleaded not guilty on Thursday to all counts.'We have always suspected that they were monetizing hate.'"The charges against the SPLC are provably wrong," stated SPLC interim president and CEO Bryan Fair. "They are based on inaccurate facts and a misapplication of law. Our informant program was successful in accomplishing its purposes: Threats and attacks were prevented, criminal activity was stopped, and information was gathered to dismantle the efforts of hate and extremist groups."Now thanks to the state of Alabama, SPLC smear merchants will have to mount a defense on more than one front.Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced on Monday that his office has launched a civil investigation into the SPLC, alleging deceptive fundraising practices under Alabama's consumer protection statutes.The probe is looking specifically at whether the SPLC's alleged activities referenced in the federal indictment violated Alabama's Deceptive Trade Practices Act or other state laws concerning charitable organizations.RELATED: Klansman allegedly on SPLC payroll was 'true believer' white supremacist, not reformed infiltrator Graeme Sloan/Bloomberg/Getty ImagesMarshall's office has subpoenaed SPLC documents disclosing to Alabama donors or prospective donors the organization's use of "informants"; identifying the annual donations received from donors in Alabama and beyond; showing annual disbursements of donated funds to "informants"; reflecting the percentage of the SPLC's annual budget blown on "informant"-related costs; and showing payments to groups or individuals appearing in the SPLC's extremist files or on its hate map.The SPLC, which has been ordered to produce these documents by June 1, confirmed to WSFA-TV that the organization's leaders "have received notice of a subpoena and are currently reviewing.""My office has been fighting the SPLC for years — whether fighting them to protect minors from transgender medical procedures, fighting them to keep bad guys behind bars, or fighting them to preserve Alabama’s Republican congressional districts," Marshall said in a statement."We have always suspected that they were monetizing hate and trading on race-baiting; it was just a matter of proving it," continued Marshall. "Thanks to the U.S. Justice Department’s action to deal with the SPLC, the state’s efforts have now received a shot in the arm. We look forward to learning more about the inner workings of an organization that we have long believed was rotten but, until recently, has been impervious."Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!
War against ‘race-baiting’ SPLC opens new front in Alabama
The Southern Poverty Law Center has been federally indicted on multiple fraud and conspiracy charges, accused of funneling money to extremist groups. The organization pleaded not guilty to all counts, with its interim president stating the charges are based on inaccurate facts. Concurrently, Alabama’s Attorney General has initiated a civil investigation into the SPLC’s fundraising practices, alleging deception.
- The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) faces federal indictment on charges including wire fraud and conspiracy.
- The SPLC is accused of funneling millions of dollars to racist and extremist groups it publicly opposed.
- The organization pleaded not guilty to all federal charges.
- Alabama’s Attorney General has launched a civil investigation into the SPLC’s fundraising practices for alleged deception.
- The state investigation is examining the use of informants and payments to groups listed as extremist by the SPLC.
- The SPLC’s interim president claims the federal charges are based on inaccurate facts and misapplication of law.
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