The Southern Poverty Law Center is under federal investigation for its use of paid informants to infiltrate violent extremist groups. The probe, led by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama, comes amid strained relations with the FBI and accusations from Trump administration allies.
Posts tagged as “the Southern Poverty Law Center”
On June 11, 2022, 31 members of the white nationalist hate group Patriot Front, including its founder, were arrested in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho after a witness reported seeing them loading into a U-Haul van. Police found riot gear, a smoke grenade, shin guards and shields inside the van, which was on its way to a Pride in the Park event. Five of the members were convicted of misdemeanor charges of conspiracy to riot, sending a strong message against the group and their hateful rhetoric.
A federal judge in Florida has ruled that the state's restrictions on Medicaid coverage for gender dysphoria treatments are invalid and violate federal laws, striking down a health code rule and a new state law. The ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, the ACLU of Florida, and the Southern Poverty Law Center on behalf of four transgender people and the Florida chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Judge Hinkle said the laws violated federal laws on Medicaid, equal protection and the Affordable Care Act's prohibition of sex discrimination, and noted that the state had not provided any evidence that the treatments were medically unnecessary or posed a risk to the health of patients.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) recently labeled the right-wing organization Moms for Liberty (M4L) as an “anti-government extremist group.” In response, M4L’s co-founder, Tina Descovich, has called for donations to the organization in order to show their support. Despite the SPLC’s labeling, M4L continues to fight for its cause and has received strong support from its members.
Two nationally known neo-Nazis, Brandon Russell and Sarah Clendaniel, were arrested last week for allegedly conspiring to shoot multiple electrical substations in Baltimore, Maryland with the aim of "completely destroying this whole city." Russell is the founder of the Atomwaffen Division, a neo-Nazi group that seeks to "usher in the collapse of civilization." The FBI was able to apprehend the suspects before they could launch their attack, which could have had devastating consequences for the city.