Southern Poverty Law Center facing DOJ probe over use of paid informants
Summary
The U.S. Justice Department is investigating the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) over its past use of paid informants to gather information on violent white supremacist groups. The SPLC says the program was meant to protect its staff and the public from threats and that it shared information with law enforcement agencies.Key Facts
- The Justice Department is leading a probe into the SPLC’s use of paid confidential informants, a program that is no longer active.
- The investigation is managed by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama.
- The SPLC is a nonprofit organization that tracks hate groups and has been targeted by allies of President Donald Trump.
- SPLC CEO Bryan Fair said the informants helped collect credible intelligence on violent groups to protect staff and the public.
- The SPLC’s offices were firebombed in 1983, and it has faced many threats since then.
- The SPLC shared information from informants with local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI.
- The Justice Department recently increased scrutiny on nonprofits accused of involvement with domestic terrorism, but it’s unclear if this investigation is related.
- The SPLC does not know the exact legal reason for the Justice Department’s probe, and the DOJ has not publicly commented yet.
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