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Alabama attorney general announces civil probe of Southern Poverty Law Center
The probe follows a federal indictment alleging the center paid at least $3 million to informants tied to extremist groups, officials said.
On Monday, Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall launched a civil investigation into the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging deceptive fundraising practices that violate state consumer protection statutes.
This state probe follows a federal indictment last month, where the U.S. Department of Justice charged the SPLC with 11 counts—including wire fraud and money laundering—for allegedly using donor funds to pay informants within extremist groups.
Marshall issued an investigatory subpoena demanding documents by June 1 regarding informant payments and donor disclosures, while the SPLC stated it is "currently reviewing" the request in a brief Monday statement.
Last Thursday, SPLC Interim CEO and President Bryan Fair pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, maintaining the informant program successfully gathered intelligence to "dismantle the efforts of hate and extremist groups."
Describing the federal case as a "shot in the arm" for state efforts, Marshall aims to investigate whether the SPLC was "monetizing hate," with a federal trial scheduled for later this year.