What to know about the Southern Poverty Law Center
Summary
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) announced it is under a U.S. Justice Department criminal investigation over its past use of paid informants who infiltrated extremist groups. The SPLC, founded in 1971 to support civil rights, has a long history of monitoring hate groups and working with law enforcement but now faces possible charges related to its informant program.Key Facts
- The SPLC is a civil rights organization started in 1971 by Alabama lawyer Morris Dees.
- It began by representing poor and discriminated people for free in courts during the fight against segregation.
- In the 1980s, the SPLC started tracking white supremacist groups, beginning with the Ku Klux Klan.
- KKK members tried to burn down SPLC’s office in 1983 as retaliation; three members were later arrested and convicted.
- The SPLC used paid informants to secretly join extremist groups and gather information, which was shared with the FBI and local police.
- The informant program was not public to protect the informants' safety.
- The SPLC has over $700 million in its endowment, funded mainly by donors.
- Some conservative groups criticize the SPLC for including them on its hate group tracker, claiming unfair labeling.
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