Judge Denies Southern Poverty Law Center’s Bid to Dismiss DOJ Indictment (Connecting the Dots: The Southern Poverty Law Center & The Carnegie/Soros Network)
The
judge said the nonprofit failed to provide evidence that prosecutors were
motivated by animus when bringing the charges.
The
Epoch Times
Aldgra
Fredly
8/8/2026|Updated:
8/8/2026
A
federal judge on Aug. 7 rejected the Southern
Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) bid to dismiss charges
brought by the Justice Department, saying the nonprofit failed to show that the prosecution against it was
vindictive.
The department indicted the SPLC in April on 11 counts of
wire fraud, making false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy
to commit money laundering. The organization was accused of defrauding donors
by funneling millions of dollars to informants who infiltrated white
supremacist and hate groups that it publicly opposed.
The SPLC filed a motion on May 26 seeking dismissal of the
charges, arguing the indictment was vindictive and that the administration
targeted it for exercising its First Amendment right to identify, report on,
and criticize extremist hate groups.
U.S. District Judge Emily Marks rejected the
motion after finding that the SPLC failed to provide evidence showing that
prosecutors involved in the case were motivated by animus and that such animus
had led to the organization’s prosecution.
“Our Republic recognizes different venues to
vindicate different wrongs; federal courts are not the proper forum for airing political
grievances. For that reason, the doctrine of vindictive prosecution places a
heavy burden on the accused, and decades of precedent counsels against its application here.
“Two things can be true at once: critics are
not constitutionally immunized solely because they speak frequently and
prosecutorial decisions may be second guessed—if they evince some evidence of
animus,” Marks wrote in a 36-page order.
The Epoch Times has reached out to both the
SPLC and the Justice Department for comments and did not receive a response by
publication time.
The indictment filed in the United States
District Court for the Middle District of Alabama accused the SPLC of secretly funneling
more than $3 million in donated funds to leaders and organizers of racist
groups, including the Ku Klux Klan, the Aryan Nation, and the National
Alliance, between 2014 and 2023.
The indictment alleged that donated money,
which was supposed to dismantle violent extremist groups, actually was being
used, in part, to pay and benefit leaders in the exact groups the nonprofit
alleged it was trying to take down.
“Donors gave their money believing they were
supporting the fight against violent extremism,” Kevin Davidson, then-acting
U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, said in an April 21 statement. “That kind of deception
undermines public trust and social cohesion.”
The SPLC denied the allegations and entered not guilty pleas on July 7. The
nonprofit said in a May 26 motion that the
prosecution was “driven by the White House and FBI leadership’s retribution
campaign.”
Connecting the Dots:
Julian Bond is
a co-founder for Southern Poverty Law Center, a director at
the Center for Economic and Policy Research and a director
at People for the American Way.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for Center for Economic and Policy Research.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
supporter for the Center for American Progress.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for People for the American
Way and the Center for American
Progress.
Raben Group was
the lobby firm for People for the American Way.
Melody C. Barnes was
a principal for the Raben Group, the domestic policy council,
director for the Barack Obama administration, the EVP for the Center for American Progress and is Barack Obama’s golf
partner.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress and a supporter for the American
Society for Muslim Advancement.
Center for American Progress calls
for heightened “Gun Safety, Gun Control” for guns.
Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's
36th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since
2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at
the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President
of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk Shooting).
Andrew Carnegie was
the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for
American Progress and a supporter for the American Society for
Muslim Advancement.
Ezekiel Emanuel is
a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, Ari
Emanuel’s brother and was the health care policy adviser for the Barack
Obama administration.
Ari Emanuel is Ezekiel
Emanuel’s brother and the co-CEO & director for William
Morris Endeavor Entertainment.
Lou Dobbs is
a William Morris Endeavor Entertainment client and and a Southern
Poverty Law Center critic.
Barbra Streisand is
a William Morris Endeavor Entertainment client and the founder
of the Barbra Streisand Foundation.
Margery Tabankin is
the treasurer for the Barbra Streisand Foundation, a director
at People for the American Way and a director at the Arca
Foundation.
Center
for Economic and Policy Research was a funder for the Arca
Foundation.
Julian Bond is
a director at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, a
director at the People for the American Way and a co-founder
for the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for Center for Economic and Policy Research.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
contributor for MoveOn.org.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for People for the American
Way and Demos.
James Rucker was
a director of grassroots mobilization for MoveOn.org, a director
at Green for All, is a co-founder for the ColorOfChange.org and
a director at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
Van Jones is the
founder of Green for All, a trustee at Demos, was a
co-founder for the ColorOfChange.org and a senior fellow at
the Center for American Progress.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
George Soros is the founder
& chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a supporter for
the Center for American Progress.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
Melody C. Barnes was
the EVP for the Center for American
Progress, the domestic policy council, director for the Barack
Obama administration, a principal for the Raben Group and
is Barack Obama’s golf partner.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress and a supporter for the American
Society for Muslim Advancement.
Center for American Progress calls
for heightened “Gun Safety, Gun Control” for guns.
Ted Lieu was honored with the Carnegie Corporation of New York's Great Immigrants Award, has represented California's 36th
congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since
2023 and is a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
Astrid S. Tuminez was a program officer at
the Carnegie Corporation of New York and is the 7th President
of the Utah Valley University (Charlie Kirk
Shooting).
Andrew Carnegie was
the founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress and a supporter for the American
Society for Muslim Advancement.
John D. Podesta is
the founder for the Center for American
Progress, was a counselor for the Barack Obama
administration and a director at the Apollo Alliance.
Van Jones was a
director at the Apollo Alliance, is the founder of Green
for All, a trustee at Demos, was a co-founder for ColorOfChange.org and
a senior fellow at the Center for American
Progress.
Robert Redford was
a director at the Apollo Alliance, the founder & president for
the Sundance Institute and a trustee at the Natural
Resources Defense Council.
Barbra
Streisand Foundation was a funder for the Natural Resources
Defense Council.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was
a funder for the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Sundance
Institute.
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Sundance
Institute is the sponsor for the Sundance Film Festival.
Lyn Davis Lear is
a trustee at the Sundance Institute and married to Norman
Lear.
Norman Lear is
married to Lyn Davis Lear and a director at People for the
American Way.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for People for the American Way.
George Soros was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Margery Tabankin is
a director at the People for the American Way and the
treasurer for the Barbra Streisand Foundation.
Julian Bond is a
director at People for the American Way, a co-founder for Southern
Poverty Law Center and a director at the Center for Economic and
Policy Research.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for Center for Economic and Policy Research.
George Soros is the founder
& chairman for the Open Society Foundations and was the chairman
for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for People for the American Way.
Center
for Economic and Policy Research was a funder for the Arca
Foundation.
Margery Tabankin is
a director at the Arca Foundation, the treasurer for the Barbra
Streisand Foundation and a director at People for the American Way.
Raben Group was
the lobby firm for People for the American Way.
Melody C. Barnes was
a principal for the Raben Group, the domestic policy council,
director for the Barack Obama administration, the EVP for the Center for American Progress and is Barack Obama’s golf
partner.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress and a
supporter for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.
Center for American Progress calls
for heightened “Gun Safety, Gun Control” for guns.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
supporter for the Center for American
Progress.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for Center for American Progress and a supporter
for the American Society for Muslim Advancement.
Andrew Carnegie was the
founder of the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
Ezekiel Emanuel is a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, was the health
care policy adviser for the Barack Obama administration and
the founding chair of the Department of Bioethics at the National
Institutes of Health (NIH).
Tom Daschle is a director at the Center for American Progress and was the nominee for health and human services (HHS) secretary for the Barack Obama administration.
Google Inc. was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Apple Inc. was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
AT&T Inc. was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
Bank of
America Corp. was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
BMW of
North America LLC was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
Citigroup Inc. was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
Coca-Cola
Company was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Facebook was a
funder for the Center for American Progress.
General
Electric Company was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Goldman
Sachs Group Inc. (Bailout Company) was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
Motion
Picture Association of America was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
PG&E
Corporation was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Samsung
Electronics Co. was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Time Warner Inc. was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
T-Mobile USA,
Inc. was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Toyota
Motor North America was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
Visa Inc. was a
funder for the Center for American Progress.
Wal-Mart
Stores Inc. was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Wells Fargo &
Co. was a funder for the Center
for American Progress.
Lawrence H.
Summers is a distinguished fellow at the Center for American Progress and was the National Economic Council
chairman for the Barack Obama administration.
Cassandra Q. Butts was
the SVP for the Center for American
Progress and the deputy
White House counsel for the Barack Obama administration.
Philip J. Crowley was
the director of homeland security at the Center
for American Progress and
the assistant secretary of state for the Barack Obama administration.
Derek Douglas was
an associate director of economic policy at the Center for American Progress and a special assistant
for urban affairs for the Barack Obama administration.
Bradley J. Kiley was
a VP for the Center for American Progress and the director of management and
administration for the Barack Obama administration.
Karen Kornbluh was
a visiting scholar at the Center for American Progress and a
policy director for Barack Obama.
Jeanne Lambrew was
a senior fellow at the Center for American
Progress and the deputy
assistant to the president for health policy for the Barack Obama
administration.
Denis McDonough was
a senior fellow at the Center for American
Progress and the chief of
staff; former deputy national security adviser for the Barack Obama
administration.
Esther M.
Olavarria was the director of immigration policy at the Center for American Progress and the deputy assistant secretary at
the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for the Barack
Obama administration.
Dan Restrepo was
the Americas Project director at the Center
for American Progress and a special assistant to the president
for the Barack Obama administration.
Gene B. Sperling was
a senior fellow at the Center for American
Progress and the assistant
to the president for economic policy for the Barack Obama
administration.
Van Jones is a
senior fellow at the Center for American
Progress, the founder of Green for All, a trustee
at Demos and was a co-founder for the ColorOfChange.org
James Rucker was
a director at Green for All, a director of grassroots mobilization
for MoveOn.org, is a co-founder for the ColorOfChange.org and
a director at the Southern Poverty Law Center.
George Soros was a contributor
for MoveOn.org., the chairman for the Foundation to Promote
Open Society and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society
Foundations.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder Demos and for People
for the American Way.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for Center for Economic and
Policy Research.
Julian Bond is a
director at People for the American Way, a director at the Center
for Economic and Policy Research and a co-founder for Southern
Poverty Law Center.
Center
for Economic and Policy Research was a funder for the Arca
Foundation.
Margery Tabankin is
a director at the Arca Foundation, the treasurer for the Barbra
Streisand Foundation and a director at People for the American Way.
Raben Group was
the lobby firm for People for the American Way.
Melody C. Barnes was
a principal for the Raben Group, the domestic policy council,
director for the Barack Obama administration, the EVP for the Center for American Progress and is Barack Obama’s golf
partner.
Carnegie
Corporation of New York was a funder for the Center for American Progress and a supporter for the American
Society for Muslim Advancement.
Center for American Progress calls
for heightened “Gun Safety, Gun Control” for guns.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for the Center for American
Progress.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
supporter for the Center for American
Progress.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center for American Progress.
Resources: Past Research
Southern Poverty Law Center Says It Faces DOJ Probe Over Paid Informants
(Connecting the Dots: The Southern Poverty Law Center & The Carnegie/Soros
Network) (Past Research on the Southern Poverty Law
Center)
Tuesday,
April 21, 2026
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/04/southern-poverty-law-center-says-it.html
National Sierra Club: What is the TPP? (Trans-Pacific Partnership) (Past Research on the Apollo Alliance)
Tuesday,
July 26, 2016
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2016/07/national-sierra-club-what-is-tpp-trans.html
Behind-the-Scenes With Hollywood Icon Robert Redford (Connecting his
Dots!) (Past Research on Robert Redford & the Barbra
Streisand Foundation)
Monday,
March 21, 2022
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2022/03/behind-scenes-with-hollywood-icon.html
Pepsi - Obama Logo Controversey (Connecting the Dots: PepsiCo, Inc., The
Center for American Progress, Barack Obama administration, The Carnegie
Corporation of New York & the Carnegie/Soros Network) (Past Research on the Center for American Progress)
Saturday,
March 14, 2026
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/03/pepsi-obama-logo-controversey.html
Following the Money (Connecting the Dots: Anthony Fauci, His Wife
Christine Grady, HIV/AIDS, COVID 19 & The Carnegie/Soros Network) (Past Research on the Center for American Progress &
the Carnegie Corporation of New York)
Friday,
August 7, 2026
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2026/08/following-money-connecting-dots-anthony.html
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