Southern Poverty Law Center Faces Justice Department Criminal Probe Over Paid Informants

The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) said it is under investigation by the Department of Justice for its prior use of paid informants, a development the group said could lead to criminal charges.

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In a statement, SPLC CEO Bryan Fair said, “Although we don’t know all the details, the focus appears to be on the SPLC’s prior use of paid confidential informants to gather credible intelligence on extremely violent groups,” and CNN reported the Justice Department did not have an immediate comment.

AP News

The Alabama Reflector reported that Fair, the interim CEO of the Montgomery-based civil rights organization, believed the probe was connected to efforts to gain information about the Ku Klux Klan and other organizations with the potential for violence.

The Hill similarly said Fair described the investigation as focused on a now-abandoned program that used paid informants to gather information on extremist organizations the group monitors.

AP News said the SPLC made the announcement Tuesday that it faces possible charges over its past use of paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups, and that the Justice Department had no immediate comment.

CBS News added that the case is being spearheaded by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Alabama, citing sources with direct knowledge and a video posted by the nonprofit.

SPLC’s leaders framed the investigation as focusing on a program the organization said it has since ended, describing how it used paid confidential informants to gather intelligence on “extremely violent groups.”

CNN reported that Fair said the SPLC uses its paid informants to “infiltrate” extremist groups and learn about their activities and guard against violent threats, adding that informants’ insight was shared with law enforcement but not widely disseminated to protect identities.

CBS News

The Hill quoted Fair saying, “Although we don’t know all the details, the focus appears to be on the SPLC’s prior use of paid confidential informants to gather credible intelligence on extremely violent groups,” and said SPLC no longer uses paid informants.

AP News likewise said the SPLC previously paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups and gather information on their activities, often sharing it with local and federal law enforcement, and that the program was kept quiet to protect the safety of informants.

CBS News described Fair’s video remarks that “This use of informants was necessary because we are no stranger to threats of violence,” and it quoted Fair saying, “We frequently shared what we learned from informants with local and federal law enforcement, including the FBI.”

Alabama Reflector reported that Fair said SPLC no longer uses paid informants but did not say when those efforts stopped, while a spokesperson said the program “predates me and a lot of people here.”

In describing why it relied on informants, SPLC pointed to threats and violence it said it faced, including a firebombing of its offices in 1983 and what it described as years of credible threats.

“Washington — The Justice Department is investigating the Southern Poverty Law Center in connection with a now-defunct program that used paid confidential informants to infiltrate white supremacist and other groups, according to a video posted by the nonprofit and sources with direct knowledge of the matter”

CBS News

CBS News quoted Fair saying, “In 1983, our offices were firebombed, and in the years since, there have been countless credible threats against our staff,” and it tied that context to the need for informants.

CNN and AP News both described SPLC as a nonprofit advocacy and litigation organization focused on combatting white supremacy and extremist groups, and AP News said it was founded in 1971 and used civil litigation to fight white supremacist groups.

Alabama Reflector added that the SPLC “rose to prominence by bringing lawsuits against the Klan and other organizations that forced them to declare bankruptcy,” and it said “Members of the Klan bombed the organization’s headquarters in Montgomery, Alabama, in July 1983.”

The Hill reported that Fair said the informants’ work occurred during the height of the Civil Rights Movement and referenced bombings of churches and the murder of activists “went unanswered by the justice system.”

In the same vein, CNN quoted Fair saying, “We stood in the vanguard then, and we stand in the vanguard today,” and it said he added, “We will not be intimidated into silence or contrition, and we will not abandon our mission or the communities we serve.”

The investigation also arrives against a backdrop of escalating political and institutional conflict involving SPLC, including criticism from Republicans and prior actions by federal agencies.

CNN reported that Republicans have long criticized the nonprofit for what some say is acting as a far-left entity that targets conservative organizations and individuals, and it said Fair accused the SPLC of using paid informants to “infiltrate” extremist groups.

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The Hill said the announcement comes after the Trump administration has repeatedly admonished the civil rights group, and it described how the FBI severed its ties with SPLC in October, with Director Kash Patel calling the group a “partisan smear machine.”

The Hill also said Patel cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League that same week, and it described SPLC as a target of the right in recent years for allegedly unfairly targeting conservatives.

AP News similarly said the investigation could add to concerns that Trump’s Republican administration is using the Justice Department to go after conservative opponents and his critics, and it noted that the center has faced intense criticism from conservatives.

CBS News added that the probe comes as the Justice Department has stepped up scrutiny of nonprofits that it accuses of being involved with or funding “domestic terrorism,” and it said it was not clear if the criminal investigation is related to that initiative.

SPLC’s leaders said they expect the Justice Department’s inquiry could move toward legal action and possibly charges, while the Justice Department has not provided details publicly.

“Southern Poverty Law Center says its being investigated by Justice Department over paid informants The group has acknowledged using such informants to infiltrate extremist groups and gather intelligence on their operations, which it shared with local and federal law enforcement, according to the Associated Press”

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CNN reported that Fair said he believes the organization may face criminal charges, and it quoted the SPLC statement that the focus appears to be on prior use of paid confidential informants.

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AP News said SPLC faces possible charges over its past use of paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups, and it reported that the Justice Department had no immediate comment.

CBS News said the video posted by the nonprofit and sources with direct knowledge indicated the probe focuses on bringing potential charges against both the organization and possibly individuals connected to the group, and it quoted Fair saying, “The focus appears to be on the SPLC's prior use of paid confidential informants to gather credible intelligence on extremely violent groups.”

The Hill reported that the announcement comes ahead of a scheduled press conference by the Alabama attorney general, and it said Fair described the group as “unsurprised” by the investigation.

In response to the probe, Fair said SPLC would “vigorously defend” itself, and AP News quoted him saying the organization “will vigorously defend ourselves, our staff, and our work.”