SPLC’s failings

The Southern Poverty Law Center was long considered one of the premier civil rights organizations, earning its lofty reputation by suing and bankrupting the Ku Klux Klan and the Aryan Nations. However, recent news articles have fractured the very foundations of its reputation and exposed the self-aggrandizing, self-enriching motivations of its leadership from the beginning.

The revelations began with employee complaints alleging sexual harassment as well as racial and gender discrimination. The SPLC soon fired its remaining founder, Morris Dees. Its president, Richard Cohen, resigned.

On March 21, The New Yorker magazine published an article about the organization by a former employee, Bob Moser. It’s a scathing indictment that exposes a shyster organization exploiting civil rights issues throughout its history to raise funds from gullible donors for the main purpose of enriching its top level executives, especially Dees.

One main scheme to expand fund raising in recent years has been its expanded “hate list” and “hate map” that simply includes many conservative organizations or individuals. Donations surged. The SPLC now has a $471 million endowment fund but is morally bankrupt.

It doesn’t warrant its reputation or more donations. The vultures have come home to roost.

Bob Strong

Spokane