Republican lawmakers are seeking documents and testimony from the Southern Poverty Law Center amid allegations involving extremist funding and coordination with the Biden administration.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee have subpoenaed records from the Southern Poverty Law Center and announced plans to question the group’s chief executive next month regarding allegations involving extremist activity and coordination with the Biden administration.
Committee Republicans confirmed Wednesday evening in a post on X that SPLC CEO Bryan Fair will testify before the committee during a hearing scheduled for June 9 at 10 a.m. Eastern.
The announcement follows a subpoena issued by Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan seeking internal documents related to what Republicans describe as possible coordination between the SPLC and the Biden-Harris administration, as well as information concerning alleged funding tied to extremist organizations.
According to the subpoena letter released by the committee, lawmakers are investigating whether the SPLC engaged in activities inconsistent with its longstanding public role as a watchdog organization focused on monitoring hate groups and extremism.
The SPLC has for decades maintained its publicly accessible “Hate Map”, which tracks organizations the group identifies as extremist or hateful. Critics, particularly among conservative and religious organizations, have accused the organization of broadly labeling mainstream right-leaning groups as hate organizations.
The congressional investigation intensified following a recently announced federal indictment referenced by committee Republicans. Lawmakers allege the indictment raises questions about whether the SPLC simultaneously benefited from and enabled the types of extremist activity it publicly claimed to oppose.
The committee has not yet publicly detailed all allegations under review, but Republicans stated the inquiry will examine the organization’s funding practices, political relationships, and interactions with federal agencies during the Biden administration.
Jordan’s subpoena seeks communications and records involving alleged coordination with federal officials as well as documents tied to financial support or assistance involving groups accused of extremist activity.
The hearing is expected to focus on the SPLC’s operations, fundraising activities, and classification methods involving its hate-group designations.
The SPLC had not publicly responded to the subpoena in the material provided.