The Justice Department responded to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) after the organization sought an injunction against Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche for not disclosing information from a confidential informant.
Now, the Department indicates that the SPLC’s request for Blanche’s public comments is considered irrelevant.
The SPLC had requested a court order to compel the Justice Department to address Blanche’s remarks made on Fox News coinciding with a significant indictment accusing the nonprofit of failing to inform donors about over $3 million in payments made to confidential informants, including individuals associated with hate groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
On April 21, during an appearance on “The Ingraham Angle,” Blanche stated that there was no information indicating that the SPLC “shared what it learned with law enforcement.” However, the SPLC contended that its informants’ input was crucial in aiding federal investigations into violent racists.
Just five days later, Blanche appeared on another Fox News program, “Sunday with Shannon Bream,” adjusting his previous claim to note that the SPLC does “selectively share information with law enforcement agencies,” asserting that this was well documented and undisputed, while maintaining that they had not been charged with misconduct.
Blanche’s second statement, which reached an audience of over a million, acknowledged the SPLC’s concerns and suggested that the proposed court intervention and the request for a grand jury report should be dismissed, as stated by the Department on Tuesday.
“If any clarification is necessary, the statements made by Acting Attorney General Blanche on Sunday are certainly adequate,” Prosecutor Kevin Davidson remarked in the court filing.
In a motion last week, the SPLC claimed there was enough evidence showing it had provided law enforcement with “useful information” that contributed to the convictions of at least two individuals, including members of the Atomwaffen Division, a white supremacist extremist group, who were allegedly plotting a terrorist attack in Las Vegas.
The group mentioned that one individual is currently incarcerated.
The SPLC further argued that Blanche’s initial statement raised concerns regarding the integrity of evidence presented to the grand jury in this case.
While they requested the submission of a grand jury report for the indictment, federal authorities stated that this proposal should be denied.
The SPLC continues to assert that the criminal charges against them are baseless and driven by political motives.
