Southern Poverty Law Center

Summary (posts follow):

Left-wing group co-founded by Morris Dees. In the past has sued the Klan and taken other legitimate actions towards civil rights. However, since the near-demise of the KKK, they've lately spent some time spreading scare stories about a rise in "hate", naming "hate groups", and strongly supporting illegal immigration; those keep the donations rolling in.

Past or current member of the Border Human Rights Working Group headed by the Mexican government-linked Peter Schey. Frequently cited by the mainstream media as a credible source. Their Mark Potok misled about hate crime statistics, with his claims since repeated countless times by the MSM.

See also "The church of Morris Dees" from Harpers Magazine (link, link), the quotes from Jim Tharpe of the Montgomery Advertiser here, "Southern Poverty Law Center Pushes Twisted Definition of 'Hate'" (link), and this.

Last modified Aug 25, 2009

Discussed in (click each link for the full post):

LULAC, Mark Potok of SPLC, NCLR, America's Voice, MMFA cheer & smear over Dobbs leaving - 11/12/2009

There's a round-up of reaction from far-left groups to Lou Dobbs' announcement that he's leaving CNN here. The biases of the article's author (Victor Manuel Ramos of the Orlando Sentinel) are discussed in this separate post. The quotes below were offered at a press conference organized by Media Matters for America:

Howard Kurtz is still not a reliable source (Lou Dobbs) - 11/12/2009

Howard Kurtz of the Washington Post offers "Anchor Lou Dobbs resigns from CNN" (link). Let me show some ways that he's still not a reliable source: Lou Dobbs, the most opinionated and divisive anchor at a cable network that bills itself as a straight-news oasis, resigned from CNN on Wednesday night... Some of the other CNN personalities - such as Rick Sanchez, Soledad OBrien, and An...

Justice Department investigating Suffolk County (NY) Police (treatment of Latinos; follows SPLC report) - 10/08/2009

Just over a month ago, the Southern Poverty Law Center released a report alleging anti-Latino policing in Suffolk County (Long Island, New York). Now the Department of Justice has launched an investigation (link): Justice Department investigators “will seek to determine whether there are systemic violations of the Constitution or federal law” by the police, said Alejandro Miyar, a spokesman fo...

Liza Mundy /WaPo lies about Obama certificate (+SPLC joins in) - 10/06/2009

... Beirich, director of research at the Southern Poverty Law Center. Beirich says that a popular conspiracy theory among such groups is that the government is going to round up citizens and put them in camps operated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Drop Dobbs: illegal activity-supporting racial power groups and far-left want Lou Dobbs off CNN - 9/17/2009

... U.S.-Mexico border might be invalid) * Southern Poverty Law Center (misled about hate crime statistics) * Media Matters for America * Frank Sharry * Reform Immigration for America * Center for New Community * Hispanic Institute (see below) * Dolores Huerta Foundation (promoted demographic hegemony, hatred against Republicans) * National Hispanic Media Coalition * National Puerto Rican Coalition *...

SPLC smears Steve Levy in quest to support illegal activity (Suffolk County, Long Island; CAP) - 9/02/2009

The Southern Poverty Law Center has a new report entitled "Climate of Fear/Latino Immigrants in Suffolk County, N.Y." about that county on Long Island, New York (splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=395). County executive Steve Levy has attempted to reduce illegal immigration in his county, such as by taking actions against residences where dozens of illegal aliens live; see this from 2005 an...

Sources for DHS rightwing extremism report: ADL, SPLC, NYT, LAT, Dave Weigel... - 8/12/2009

A group called Americans for Limited Government filed a FOIA request to get the sources that the Department of Homeland Security used in the "rightwing extremist" report that came out earlier this year. The government has responded with a list that includes some questionable to very questionable internet sources rather than, for instance, actual FBI investigations and the like. Per the g...

Kentucky state hate crimes report smears Constitution Party (uses SPLC as source) - 6/22/2009

... officials and news reports. Source: Southern Poverty Law Center.” A search for documents at ky.gov shows that the same language was used in their 2004 and 2005 reports. For a related case, see the report from the state of Missouri.

Leadership Conference on Civil Rights supports illegal immigration, misleads about hate crimes (SPLC, MALDEF, ADL, NCLR, NHMC...) - 6/19/2009

... the Anti-Defamation League, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) have become increasingly concerned about the virulent anti-immigrant and anti-Latino rhetoric employed by a handful of groups and coalitions that have tried to position themselves as legitimate, mainstream advocates agains...

Casey Sanchez/SPLC, Frank Sharry, Andrea Nill/CAP smear FAIR over non-existent connection (Dave Bennion) - 6/17/2009

... FAIR press release (link): The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has launched its most irresponsible attack to date against the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The SPLC claims that Shawna Forde, the alleged killer of a little girl and her father during an Arizona home invasion, had ties to FAIR. Although no association exists -- or ever has -- between Ms. Forde and FAIR, the S...

Obama, ADL, SPLC, Phil Gordon, Catherine Herridge, Shep Smith, Joan Walsh, Chris Matthews, others try to exploit shooting at Holocaust Museum - 6/11/2009

... say" (link). He quotes the Southern Poverty Law Center's Mark Potok: "I think this latest round of killing once again shows how ridiculous the criticism from the right of the Department of Homeland Security report was. That whole brouhaha was absurd... Rush Limbaugh and John Boehner can go on until the end of time about how [the report] was an attack on conservatives, but in realit...

America's Voice offers very lightweight hit piece on Jeff Sessions - 5/07/2009

... anti-immigrant hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. That might make some members of Congress think twice about developing a relationship with the group, but clearly not Jeff Sessions. As detailed at the last link, the SPLC is not in any way a credible source. Some members of Congress are obviously dumb or far-left enough to put faith in what they say, but no one else should. [1] huffin...

George Soros funding ACLU, SPLC immigration projects - 4/29/2009

... involving are: Sam Brooke; lawyer; Southern Poverty Law Center; Montgomery, AL Brooke will engage in advocacy and public education to curb arbitrary detentions and abuses at Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities in the southeastern United States. Amalia Greenberg Delgado; lawyer; American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California; San Francisco, CA Greenberg Delgado will develop a pub...

SPLC: DHS rightwing extremist report mentions them and "tracks" theirs "fairly closely" (Harry Smith; +two errors) - 4/16/2009

... a misleading report from the Southern Poverty Law Center. I say "almost" because of this: Mark Potok, director of the [SPLC's] intelligence project, said... he was generally pleased with the report... "Basically, the report tracks fairly closely with what we have been saying for some time now. They mention us a couple of times, though not by name," he said. Anyone who wan...

Bennie Thompson "dumbfounded" by DHS rightwing extremist report - 4/16/2009

... several organizations, such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, the Anti-Defamation League, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs, the National Abortion Federation, and others with long-standing experience in monitoring rightwing domestic terrorist groups and assessing their danger. Congress or...

SPLC names "hate group" based on something they didn't promote - 4/10/2009

The Southern Poverty Law Center publishes a list of "hate groups" which includes both true hate groups as well as those who simply disagree with the SPLC's support for illegal immigration and the like. That would be insignificant if it weren't for the fact that the mainstream media as well as even government agencies take them seriously. One group on the latest list is the Illi...

Dennis Roddy /Pittsburgh PG, SPLC, LGF, HotAir, Kos use tragedy to smear opponents - 4/05/2009

... Beirich, director of research at the Southern Poverty Law Center and an expert on political extremists. She called Mr. Poplawski's act, "a classic example of what happens when you start buying all this conspiracy stuff." Meanwhile, over at HotAir, one of their staffers links to the Little Green Footballs entry [1] with the title "Surprise: Pittsburgh cop-killer was anti-semiti...

SPLC, ADL used as sources for Missouri militia report? - 3/27/2009

... Morris Dees and his ultra-liberal Southern Poverty Law Center. And if my hunch (a very educated hunch, I might add) is correct, it means that the DHS and various State police agencies around the country are allowing a left-wing special interest group to use them to harass, intimidate, and profile people with conservative political opinions. And, ALIPAC says this: ALIPAC is issuing a national advi...

SPLC live web chat: Wednesday, March 18, 2009 - 3/13/2009

... March 18 at 2pm Eastern, the Southern Poverty Law Center will be conducting a live online webchat. You have to sign up beforehand here: splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=368&splcnewsletter=newsgen-031109 Those participating include their president Richard Cohen and Mark Potok. Bearing in mind that signing up might end up in you being put on more than just a mailing list for donations, here ...

Clarissa Martinez/NCLR's offensive, misleading pro-illegal immigration editorial - 2/07/2009

... designated a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center -- decided that he is better qualified than Latino civil rights leaders to speak to Latino views. What's next, David Duke writing about African American views on affirmative action? See their name's link for more on the SPLC. See the ethnic conformity for the "better qualified" bit. See hispanic civil rights for that p...

Carrie Johnson /WaPo smears opponents of Obama, immigration (rise in "hate", SPLC) - 1/11/2009

... 2000, according to experts at the Southern Poverty Law Center, an independent organization that monitors racist movements... Although questions persist about the ability of such groups to carry out violent plans, several recent national developments have combined to worry analysts, said Mark Potok, chief of the law center's Intelligence Project. In addition to the economic downturn, he cited...

Rights Working Group wants immigration enforcement moratorium and much more (ACLU, NCLR, 248 others) - 1/09/2009

The Asian American Justice Center runs the Rights Working Group, a coalition of over 250 leftwing groups, and they have a petition calling on Barack Obama to in effect not do immigration enforcement. They want a "moratorium" while the subject of raids and the like is "studied", but everyone knows what that means. Since there are so many groups, the full roster is here. The main...

Jesse Washington/AP's supposed "outbreak of racial anger" after Obama win - 11/16/2008

... the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, which monitors hate crimes. Washington later points out that Potok is white, which isn't really material. What is material is that Potok and friends are far-left grievance mongers who in effect make their money from hate: without "hate" - whether real, mischaracterized, or just hyped - the SPLC wouldn't be in busines...

Mexico linked groups complain about "hate group" FAIR (FIRM, SEIU, America's Voice, NCLR) - 9/11/2008

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is currently conducting the "Hold Their Feet to the Fire" rally in Washington DC where radio hosts from across the country and their listeners lobby their representatives to support pro-borders causes. Needless to say, the other side doesn't like that too much, and four such groups have joined together to place a scurrilous adver...

Ask John McCain about the impacts of amnesty ("comprehensive immigration reform") - 8/30/2008

Here's a question you're urged to ask John McCain at one of his public events. Make sure and videotape the question and the answer, and then upload it to Youtube and other sites. If anyone asks this I can provide follow-ups, and of course feel free to adapt it to your speaking style or remove parts of the first paragraph as necessary: Senator McCain: the immigration "reform" yo...

SPLC misleads about American Legion immigration report - 8/20/2008

... read it, but Sonia Scherr of the Southern Poverty Law Center apparently has and offers "American Legion Immigration Report Replete With Falsehoods" [2]. Based only on what she says, it appears the the AL made a few mistakes and left themselves open to groups like the SPLC - which is indirectly linked to the Mexican government - raising issues.

Judy Bachrach/Vanity Fair smears Lou Dobbs - 8/08/2008

... Hispanic advocacy group"; the Southern Poverty Law Center - a group indirectly linked to the Mexican government - is just "a civil rights organization"; and, Media Matters Action Network is just "a liberal media watchdog". 4. She consistently misspells "Frank Sherry". 5. She says "Broken Borders" was the title of Lou's initial salvo against illega...

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) calls DHS agents "Gestapo agents" (Gebe Martinez/Politico) - 8/07/2008

... things include Peter Schey, the Southern Poverty Law Center, Stillmore GA mayor Marilyn Slater, NJ nursery owner Chris Ruske, immigration attorney Casey Wolff, Joe Mota of the United Farm Workers. Those who've come close include Nancy Pelosi, the New York Times editorial board, and NY grower Maureen Torrey. As for the rest of the Politico "news report", I don't know why the Po...

Parents: watch for Southern Poverty Law Center's Cesar Chavez "documentary" - 7/12/2008

The Southern Poverty Law Center (also see this) - a group indirectly linked to the Mexican government - is producing a "documentary" on Cesar Chavez which they'll be distributing free to schools across the U.S. starting in September (splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=318, via this). Since the SPLC is a strong supporter of illegal immigration, the fact that Chavez opposed illegal immig...

Senator Bob Menendez uses alleged ICE abuses to hamper immigration enforcement (SPLC, NYT) - 6/16/2008

... a lawsuit [2] brought by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a group indirectly linked to the Mexican government. See this for a description of the raid, with an ICE statement at the end. See the attempted class action complaint at [3]. Some abuses may have occurred, or the plaintiffs could be telling tall tales; in any case the situation is mitigated by the facts that Menendez didn't reveal. A...

Brave: Bob Barr denounces two on extreme fringe - 6/02/2008

Showing intense, heroic bravery, Libertarian Party candidate Bob Barr has denounced two white nationalists who endorsed him, including one who is just a commenter on a message board (reason.com/blog/show/126790.html). Barr's campaign manager says: The Barr campaign is not going to be a vehicle for every fringe and hate group to promote itself. We do not want and will not accept the support of...

Barack Obama lies, falsely accuses Dobbs, Limbaugh of inciting hate crimes - 5/23/2008

At a Florida fundraiser yesterday, Barack Obama said this: "A certain segment has basically been feeding a kind of xenophobia. There's a reason why hate crimes against Hispanic people doubled last year... If you have people like Lou Dobbs and Rush Limbaugh ginning things up, it's not surprising that would happen." Those statements are beyond reprehensible, and come close to a...

Former Iowa governor Tom Vilsack takes illegal immigration side in Swift raid; Peter Schey link - 4/29/2008

From this: Allegations that federal officials illegally rounded up and arrested almost 1,300 Swift factory workers during raids in Marshalltown and across the country are being highlighted today at a public hearing that includes testimony from former Gov. Tom Vilsack...

Ripping up flags is no way to fight illegal immigration (UNM case) - 4/06/2008

Let's say you're a student at the University of New Mexico and an Air Force veteran and you spot a lone Mexican flag flying on a UNM flag pole. You complain to administrators about it for a few days but they give you the run around. What do you do? 1.

SPLC's "The Year in Hate" misled about FBI hate crime statistics - 3/31/2008

Earlier this month the Southern Poverty Law Center - a group indirectly linked to the Mexican government - released a report entitled "The Year in Hate", which continued their attempt to shut down debate about immigration matters. Per the AP: The law center's report contends there is a link between anti-immigrant activism and the significant rise in hate crimes against Latinos in re...

MALDEF: Truth in Immigration website - 3/21/2008

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF), has launched a new website called "Truth in Immigration" (truthinimmigration.org). Per this: John Trasvina, president of Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said Thursday the airwaves are dominated by anti-immigrant sentiment.

We Can Stop The Hate: Mexico-linked groups try silencing opponents of illegal immigration - 1/31/2008

... Defense and Educational Fund * Southern Poverty Law Center Their targets include Lou Dobbs, Glenn Beck, Pat Buchanan, and others, and a video from them is here. The easy way to defeat their effort is to go to public appearances by their representatives and ask them about their constituent groups' links to the Mexican government and whether they're receiving any help from that government...

Andres Oppenheimer's five "myths" of the "anti-immigration movement" - 1/14/2008

... Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center. Both "studies" are riddled with holes and the second group has an indirect link to the Mexican government. He also quotes Michelle Waslin, previously with the National Council of La Raza and now with the Immigration Policy Center. "Anybody who is Hispanic-looking or has an Hispanic last name is being treated as an undocume...

SPLC tries to stifle FAIR (Mexico links, CAP) - 12/11/2007

Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center offers "The Teflon Nativists/FAIR Marked by Ties to White Supremacy" (splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=846) with the news that it's "official": the SPLC has declared the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) to be a "hate group".

Felipe Calderon explicitly wants Mexican consuls to meddle in U.S. immigration debate (non-profits) - 12/07/2007

The only thing shocking about this is that he'd openly admit it: [Today, Mexican president Felipe Calderon] asked his diplomatic representatives in the U.S. to participate in the public debate on immigration by appearing at public events, talking more to the media and working with nonprofit groups to promote Mexican immigrants' role in supporting the U.S.

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