WASHINGTON D.C. — Independent Women’s Law Center issued the following statement today in response to the Department of Justice’s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center on multiple criminal counts, including wire fraud, false statements, and conspiracy to commit money laundering:
“The indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center is long overdue. For decades, the SPLC has wielded its influence not as a neutral civil rights watchdog, but as a Left-wing partisan attack machine, labeling and targeting Americans based on their beliefs and fueling division for financial and political gain,” said Beth Parlato, senior legal counsel for Independent Women’s Law Center.
“These charges brought by the Department of Justice under President Donald Trump are serious, and they validate years of concern about the organization’s conduct. Even more troubling, congressional oversight has revealed that federal law enforcement relied on SPLC materials to label Americans, including Catholics, as potential extremists. When the government adopts the classifications of a politically motivated organization, it raises profound constitutional concerns and erodes public trust in our institutions.
“We commend Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel for taking decisive action. This is an important step toward restoring integrity to our justice system.
“Accountability is foundational to the rule of law. The SPLC is finally being held to the same legal standards as every other organization, and that is exactly how it should be.”
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