Overview
- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, which announced a probe Monday, issued a civil investigative demand to examine whether the Southern Poverty Law Center misled donors under state law.
- A federal magistrate in Montgomery set an October 5th jury trial after prosecutors charged the SPLC with wire fraud, false statements to a bank, and a money‑laundering conspiracy tied to more than $3 million routed to informants through shell entities.
- The SPLC pleaded not guilty on May 7 and says its now‑ended informant program fed intelligence to law enforcement, adding that federal officials knew about it for years and that it is seeking access to grand‑jury records.
- The House Judiciary Committee is holding a Wednesday hearing with conservative commentator Tyler O’Neil as a lead witness, with Democrats preparing their own witness to counter GOP claims about the group’s work.
- Charitable‑giving platforms like Fidelity Charitable and Vanguard Charitable have paused donations to the SPLC since the indictment, a move that complicates giving for many donors and adds financial pressure as state inquiries in Alabama, Florida, and Texas continue.