Stacey Abrams Supports SPLC Following Fraud Allegations

Stacey Abrams Defends SPLC Amid Fraud Allegations

Stacey Abrams, who previously ran for governor in Georgia, spoke out in support of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) after the Department of Justice (DOJ) leveled fraud charges against the organization.

A federal grand jury in Alabama has reportedly indicted the SPLC on several counts, including wire fraud, making false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealed money laundering.

During a meeting with Steve Schmidt, a co-founder of the Lincoln Project, Abrams characterized the SPLC as a vital legal entity rooted in the South, dedicated to combating authoritarianism. She mentioned, “What we see on the national stage is often preserved in the South, so we know that in the South, for example, litigation is always needed as one of the ways to fight back against authoritarianism,” adding various historical examples like Jim Crow and the KKK.

“If there is an anti-community, it probably has its roots in the South. And the SPLC has been fighting back for decades,” she emphasized. Abrams highlighted that the organization recognizes hate groups and works to inform the public, investing in communities to address these issues.

A press release from the Justice Department noted that the SPLC is under suspicion for operating “a secret network of individuals with ties to violent extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan.”

The indictment suggests that since the 1980s, the SPLC has allegedly managed a concealed network involving individuals affiliated with violent extremist organizations. While publicly condemning these groups, some donations were reportedly diverted to support leaders within those same groups.

From 2014 to 2023, the SPLC is accused of funneling over $3 million in donations to individuals linked to groups like the National Socialist Movement and the United Klan of America.

“The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” stated Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “The use of donations to profit from Klansmen cannot go unchecked.”