Seems to me that the use of informants is a major component of investgative journlism. The real story is the use of the Justice Dept. to seek revenge against Trump's adversries. If he was truely executing the responsibilites of his office these unmeaning waste of times would not occur.
As an annual donor to SPLC, I can report I have never felt defrauded. The work they do is important. Maybe DOJ should take the lead in dismantling hate groups instead of filing lawsuits.
Interesting. I’ve donated to SPLC for years…in the past, when reading about an investigation of an org I supported, I would find myself immediately questioning the organization and being disappointed (until getting further information). My current reaction tends to be…oh here we go, probably another unwarranted attack by the current vindictive regime against the left. Don’t have the full story yet but this article is helpful and it’s pretty sad that I have absolutely no trust in our DOJ/FBI/ administration now.
As a person who has donated to the SPLC in the past, I would consider my donations well spent if they went to informants who exposed right-wing groups!
Btw, the kkk blew up the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963
killing two black children. Later, they were caught trying to blow our house off the side of Red Mountain. They were convicted.
Too bad Harmeet missed her history of the very brave alumni of the Civil Rights Division and FBI who brought them to justice along wilh many of that ilk. I am sure the relatives of the USDJ Bob Merhige and Frank Johnson who lived in protective custody will be delighted read this bizarre turn of events.
As a 30+ year supporter of the SPLC, I expect and applaud the tactics they use to infiltrate and expose these racist and fascist groups. I think this lawsuit may be a boon to the SPLC and will backfire on MAGA.
I have been an SPLC donor since the 1970s, and I am proud to have helped its efforts to infiltrate the KKK and now its progeny. No one at SPLC has defrauded me!!
Anyone who would say “right wing hate was so low that left wing hate group had to subsidize it” is either to young to remember or wasn’t pay attention in the 1990s when right wing militias were causing problems all over the country. If you can’t remember or don’t know about Aryan Nations in Hayden Lake, Idaho surely you remember or can look up Timothy McVeigh and Oklahoma City. And I know the right wing haters like to paint the January 6 criminals who took over the Capitol as “victims” of the police, but those people were dangerous and threatening the life of the Vice President. They are still dangerous, and they are still out there. In fact, now that Trump pardoned them, even the ones convicted of crimes are back on the street.
Yes, agree w Anna! Every accusation — from this administration — is definitely a confession.
They know they’re doing it. It is not unconscious projection. It is calculated. It has been since 1968, when fear-based politics in America really took off, in my ho.
This situation we’re in now is the result of the careful, strategic, small-step implementation, by the GOP, of a nefarious (my ho) project to create this enormous wealth disparity. And to make education unavailable to most people. And to destroy our rule of law, and our free press — which most people don’t even know have, not just a job, to do — but a critical constitutional mandate to do it. And our government. Our way of life. The American Dream. Our standing. Our good word Fresh Beach. And of course, any group effectively fighting right-wing extremism.
I have followed the SPLC, and the truly impressive good work they do, since the 80s. And this pisses me off.
It’s more Project 2025. It’s part of the attempted authoritarian takeover of America. It’s not hair-on-fire to say, they’ve made remarkable strides when it comes to the destruction of much of our government. (Not to mention the East Wing and Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden. The Kennedy Center. All that fucking gold leaf.)
He really is, like everyone said a decade ago, “a poor man’s idea of a rich man.” You can’t fake that kind of tacky! And if he isn’t, he certainly plays up that idea of himself. But it looks more like, he himself really is a poor man’s idea of a rich man. And, sure, no accounting for taste: EXCEPT WHEN YOU’RE DESECRATING THE BLOODY WHITE HOUSE.
Trump is like the opposite of King Midas. Tho if you wanted to get literary about it, he’s is more like Rappacini. (Without the advanced degrees or even belief in science. Or anything, really.) Demolition is his forte.
Sorry for this digression! But there’s really no fictional character who compares; maybe a toxic combination of Iago and King Lear? He’s got the mad speech down, and he’s accomplished at stumbling about confusedly. All he needs is a moor. Speaking a which, he’s got all the overriding Id of Iago.
This is political persecution.
They’re destroying capitalism too. The country — under Trump and his (Liquor) Cabinet is headed toward some kind of autocratic, theocratic, oligarchic kleptocracy. Not unlike Iran🇮🇷
They’ve been openly getting rid of oversight, in every form, since Day One of Trump’s second term. Trumped-Up allegations against the SPLC was a matter of (very little) time.
And David, Yes! ONLY A BLUE TSUNAMI. That’s our last best defense.
Thank you for covering this. It's clearly an opening salvo of the Trump Administration's plan to go after left wing groups, but I feel like the reaction in the press has been pretty muted.
Seems to me that the use of informants is a major component of investgative journlism. The real story is the use of the Justice Dept. to seek revenge against Trump's adversries. If he was truely executing the responsibilites of his office these unmeaning waste of times would not occur.
Will, has Trump lost any Truth Social followers? To me, that is the only measure of whether he is losing his base.
As an annual donor to SPLC, I can report I have never felt defrauded. The work they do is important. Maybe DOJ should take the lead in dismantling hate groups instead of filing lawsuits.
Interesting. I’ve donated to SPLC for years…in the past, when reading about an investigation of an org I supported, I would find myself immediately questioning the organization and being disappointed (until getting further information). My current reaction tends to be…oh here we go, probably another unwarranted attack by the current vindictive regime against the left. Don’t have the full story yet but this article is helpful and it’s pretty sad that I have absolutely no trust in our DOJ/FBI/ administration now.
The only thing I feel defrauded by are the non qualified people in this administration.
As a person who has donated to the SPLC in the past, I would consider my donations well spent if they went to informants who exposed right-wing groups!
Agree...and you beat me to it ;-)
How did they miss Veritas and their sources?
Btw, the kkk blew up the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham in 1963
killing two black children. Later, they were caught trying to blow our house off the side of Red Mountain. They were convicted.
Too bad Harmeet missed her history of the very brave alumni of the Civil Rights Division and FBI who brought them to justice along wilh many of that ilk. I am sure the relatives of the USDJ Bob Merhige and Frank Johnson who lived in protective custody will be delighted read this bizarre turn of events.
Really seems like a political hit job to me!
Time for me to re-up my donation to SPLC
As a 30+ year supporter of the SPLC, I expect and applaud the tactics they use to infiltrate and expose these racist and fascist groups. I think this lawsuit may be a boon to the SPLC and will backfire on MAGA.
As they say … see you in court.
I have been an SPLC donor since the 1970s, and I am proud to have helped its efforts to infiltrate the KKK and now its progeny. No one at SPLC has defrauded me!!
Every evangelical cause I grew up being indoctrinated with has gone mainstream it's insane. New Confederates directly from the Churches
Anyone who would say “right wing hate was so low that left wing hate group had to subsidize it” is either to young to remember or wasn’t pay attention in the 1990s when right wing militias were causing problems all over the country. If you can’t remember or don’t know about Aryan Nations in Hayden Lake, Idaho surely you remember or can look up Timothy McVeigh and Oklahoma City. And I know the right wing haters like to paint the January 6 criminals who took over the Capitol as “victims” of the police, but those people were dangerous and threatening the life of the Vice President. They are still dangerous, and they are still out there. In fact, now that Trump pardoned them, even the ones convicted of crimes are back on the street.
I appreciate your reporting. I also appreciate and love the Trio podcasts
Yes, agree w Anna! Every accusation — from this administration — is definitely a confession.
They know they’re doing it. It is not unconscious projection. It is calculated. It has been since 1968, when fear-based politics in America really took off, in my ho.
This situation we’re in now is the result of the careful, strategic, small-step implementation, by the GOP, of a nefarious (my ho) project to create this enormous wealth disparity. And to make education unavailable to most people. And to destroy our rule of law, and our free press — which most people don’t even know have, not just a job, to do — but a critical constitutional mandate to do it. And our government. Our way of life. The American Dream. Our standing. Our good word Fresh Beach. And of course, any group effectively fighting right-wing extremism.
I have followed the SPLC, and the truly impressive good work they do, since the 80s. And this pisses me off.
It’s more Project 2025. It’s part of the attempted authoritarian takeover of America. It’s not hair-on-fire to say, they’ve made remarkable strides when it comes to the destruction of much of our government. (Not to mention the East Wing and Jackie Kennedy’s Rose Garden. The Kennedy Center. All that fucking gold leaf.)
He really is, like everyone said a decade ago, “a poor man’s idea of a rich man.” You can’t fake that kind of tacky! And if he isn’t, he certainly plays up that idea of himself. But it looks more like, he himself really is a poor man’s idea of a rich man. And, sure, no accounting for taste: EXCEPT WHEN YOU’RE DESECRATING THE BLOODY WHITE HOUSE.
Trump is like the opposite of King Midas. Tho if you wanted to get literary about it, he’s is more like Rappacini. (Without the advanced degrees or even belief in science. Or anything, really.) Demolition is his forte.
Sorry for this digression! But there’s really no fictional character who compares; maybe a toxic combination of Iago and King Lear? He’s got the mad speech down, and he’s accomplished at stumbling about confusedly. All he needs is a moor. Speaking a which, he’s got all the overriding Id of Iago.
This is political persecution.
They’re destroying capitalism too. The country — under Trump and his (Liquor) Cabinet is headed toward some kind of autocratic, theocratic, oligarchic kleptocracy. Not unlike Iran🇮🇷
They’ve been openly getting rid of oversight, in every form, since Day One of Trump’s second term. Trumped-Up allegations against the SPLC was a matter of (very little) time.
And David, Yes! ONLY A BLUE TSUNAMI. That’s our last best defense.
Thank you for covering this. It's clearly an opening salvo of the Trump Administration's plan to go after left wing groups, but I feel like the reaction in the press has been pretty muted.