Attorney General Steve Marshall Announces Investigation of Southern Poverty Law Center after Federal Indictments
(Montgomery, Ala) – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a civil investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) alleging deceptive fundraising practices under Alabama’s consumer protection statutes. A subpoena transmitted to the SPLC on Monday commands the SPLC to produce requested documents by Monday, June 1, 2026.
The State’s action comes on the heels of a federal grand jury indicting the SPLC on charges of wire fraud, false statements, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Alabama’s investigation will seek to determine whether the SPLC’s activity within the state also ran afoul of the State’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act or state laws related to charitable organizations, both of which are enforced by the Attorney General’s Office.
“My Office has been fighting the SPLC for years—whether fighting them to protect minors from transgender medical procedures, fighting them to keep bad guys behind bars, or fighting them to preserve Alabama’s Republican congressional districts,” Attorney General Marshall said. “We have always suspected that they were monetizing hate and trading on race-baiting, it was just a matter of proving it. Thanks to the U.S. Justice Department’s action to deal with the SPLC, the State’s efforts have now received a shot in the arm. We look forward to learning more about the inner workings of an organization that we have long believed was rotten, but until recently, has been impervious.”
The investigatory subpoena includes the following demands:
- Documents disclosing to Alabama donors or prospective donors the SPLC’s use of informants;
- Documents identifying the annual donations received from Alabama donors, as well as donors beyond Alabama;
- Documents showing annual disbursements of donated funds to informants;
- Documents reflecting the percentage of SPLC’s annual budget allocated to informant-related costs; and
- Documents showing payments to groups or individuals appearing in the SPLC’s extremist files or hate map.
Because the SPLC is headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, the Alabama Attorney General’s Office is entitled to information regarding the organization’s dealings with donors and informants, even those outside Alabama.
The full subpoena can be viewed here.
