The previous director of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), known for its far-left stance, advocated for the organization to adopt a more partisan approach, specifically targeting conservatives and religious organizations.
This report follows the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) charging the SPLC with fraud and money laundering related to “violent extremist groups.”
Margaret Huang, who became the head of the SPLC in 2020, shifted the organization’s tone to be noticeably more partisan. In a paper from last year, she claimed that “far-right extremist groups” have increasingly infiltrated various aspects of American life, especially in the political arena since Trump’s election in 2016. She argued that Trump’s re-election legitimized these groups, placing them in positions of power.
In a piece for Daily Kos, she criticized the “hard right” for infiltrating schools and libraries, claiming that what was once seen as fringe is now central to the MAGA movement and the current presidency.
In 2025, the SPLC faced backlash for including the conservative group Turning Point USA on its “hate map,” placing it alongside groups like the KKK. Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was tragically killed while speaking in Utah, responded to this classification by denouncing it as “cheap slander” from a “washed-up organization.”
Kirk had long argued that the SPLC’s designation of hate groups unfairly targeted conservatives, Christians, and parental rights advocates.
During a December 2025 testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, Andrew Cypher, Executive Vice President of Turning Point USA, recounted that Kirk had warned him about potential repercussions, stating that if the SPLC labeled Turning Point USA as a hate group, they would be “in the crosshairs.” Cypher remarked that this warning turned out to be tragically accurate after Kirk’s death.
In announcing the SPLC’s indictment, FBI Director Kash Patel detailed the charges, which included “wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealed money laundering.”
Patel alleged that the SPLC was involved in extensive fraudulent activities, misleading donors and hiding their true actions from the public. He accused the SPLC of making false promises to dismantle violent extremist groups while actually funding their leaders, leading to the commission of both state and federal crimes. He confirmed that an investigation was ongoing.
The article also highlighted Huang’s compensation for 2023, set at $522,000, and noted that she was let go in July following significant layoffs. Currently, she serves as a senior adviser for the Leadership Council on Civil and Human Rights.
