Records reveal SPLC trained DOJ prosecutors during Biden’s administration and had special access to hate crime data.

Partisan Connections Within Biden’s DOJ

WASHINGTON – The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), across both political spectrums, provided training for Department of Justice prosecutors and gained exclusive access to the federal hate crime database, revealing insights into the Biden administration’s operations.

This collaboration was part of a broader strategy developed by the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division, which engaged left-leaning organizations to address topics such as “election security,” “racial profiling,” and “anti-LGBTQ violence.” Internal communications, including emails and memos, illustrate this partnership.

Thousands of documents, acquired by the conservative group America First Legal (AFL) through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request, shed light on Biden’s law enforcement priorities, eventually leading to a lawsuit.

By 2022, officials within the Civil Rights Division were actively recruiting SPLC to monitor civil rights issues, inviting them to quarterly meetings. “I hope this message finds you well,” Attorney General Kristen Clark wrote to SPLC CEO Margaret Huang on October 28, 2022, indicating the need for their input on specific justice issues.

The SPLC was subsequently featured at a Civil and Human Rights Leadership Conference, where they met with top DOJ officials, including Clark and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, in November 2022.

In December, SPLC was among five organizations granted early access to the FBI’s 2021 hate crime data. Michael Lieberman, a senior policy advisor at SPLC, expressed appreciation for the advance copy to Associate Attorney General Robert Moothy Jr.

Fast forward to March 2023, and the DOJ continued to collaborate with SPLC during a visit to the Alabama-based organization, amidst a civil rights lawsuit involving the Louisville Police Department. Their connections had been reported previously, detailing attention given to Clark’s past personal issues during the Senate confirmation process.

At a DOJ Hate Crimes Symposium in November 2023, SPLC researchers contributed insights on aiding investigators in identifying motives for biased crimes, with over 100 DOJ attorneys in attendance.

The symposium occurred shortly after a series of violent incidents emerged, yet it notably did not address the rise in anti-Semitism and hate crimes that followed events in Israel.

AFL criticized the Biden administration’s partnership with SPLC, condemning it as a moral failure. They expressed concern that such collaborations compromise the integrity of civil rights enforcement and pose risks to Americans with differing views.

FBI Director Kash Patel recently announced the termination of all official ties with SPLC, describing the organization as a partisan entity that strayed from its civil rights mission. In April, it was reiterated that the FBI would not rely on intelligence sourced from politicized external groups.