United States v. Southern Poverty Law Center — Politicized Prosecutions (AL)

On April 21, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that a federal grand jury indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a civil rights-focused nonprofit organization, on charges of fraud and money laundering. The organization later pleaded not guilty. In June, prosecutors obtained a superseding indictment that added new information, but no new charges.

Among other work, the SPLC investigates and brings lawsuits against hate groups. The DOJ’s indictments allege that the organization defrauded its donors by paying informants within those groups as part of its investigations. (The FBI employs similar tactics.)

The SPLC has criticized President Trump and challenged him in court for many years. On May 26, the organization filed a motion to dismiss the indictment against them, arguing that the charges are vindictive and part of a broader “retribution campaign” against those the president perceives as his enemies.

After the DOJ filed its superseding indictment, the SPLC also asked the judge overseeing the case to consider sanctioning the federal prosecutors working on the case. In a court filing, the SPLC alleged that the prosecutors prematurely shared a draft of the superseding indictment with the press before it had been made public or shared with the SPLC’s lawyers, in violation of the rules governing federal criminal cases.

On June 4, the Society for the Rule of Law, represented by States United, filed an amicus brief in support of the SPLC’s motion to dismiss the case.

The brief argues that the court should view indictment of the SPLC in the context of other politically motivated prosecutions brought by the Trump administration.

“The indictment of the SPLC, unfortunately, raises similar concerns that DOJ’s prosecutorial power is once again being wielded for improper reasons and to serve unjust objectives,” the group writes.

The brief also points out that the administration has broken down the typical protections that separate the White House and the Justice Department and urges the court to step in as a check on the executive branch to preserve the rule of law.

Arraignment for the superseding indictment will be held on June 16. Briefing on SPLC’s motions to dismiss the case and regarding sanctions against federal prosecutors remains ongoing.

• Amicus brief (filed June 4, 2026)
• Motion to show cause (filed June 3, 2026)
• Motion to dismiss (filed May 26, 2026)

• The Associated Press via PBS News: Southern Poverty Law Center seeks dismissal of ‘vindictive’ Justice Department indictment (May 26, 2026)
• CBS News: Former federal prosecutors see legal flaws in DOJ’s indictment of Southern Poverty Law Center (April 23, 2026)
• USA Today: FBI: SPLC paid informants without donors knowing. Feds pay them too (April 22, 2026)