House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) has launched an investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) and its influence over federal employees. The committee is concerned that the SPLC is weaponizing its designation of "hate group" to target conservative organizations, effectively discriminating against Americans for their First Amendment protected political views.
In a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, Chairman Comer requested all communications between the Department of Education and the SPLC, aiming to determine the extent to which federal employees are utilizing flawed information from the SPLC in their decision-making processes.
Chairman Comer expressed his concerns about the SPLC's actions, stating, "The SPLC has weaponized its designation of 'hate group' to target conservative persons, organizations, and non-profits who hold opposing viewpoints or policy positions." He highlighted a federal judge's conclusion in 2019, which stated that the SPLC's "hate group" label does not rely on objective data or evidence and described it as "an entirely subjective inquiry." Despite this subjective nature, the SPLC's labels have been used in the private sector to exclude partnerships with certain groups.
The investigation also revealed that there have been multiple meetings between SPLC officials and federal employees. White House visitor logs showed that these meetings took place at least eleven times over the past three years. Notably, Susan Corke, the director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, met with National Security Council counterterrorism director John Picarelli on January 6, 2023. Six months later, Corke made the decision to label multiple parental rights groups as "antigovernment groups" on the SPLC's "hate map." This decision came shortly after the Biden Administration and the Department of Justice responded to demands from the National School Board Association to investigate parents and parents' rights activists who had expressed their concerns at school board meetings nationwide.
Chairman Comer raised concerns about the extent of the SPLC's engagement, influence, and impact within the Department of Education. He urged Secretary Cardona to provide information on any steps being taken to mitigate the SPLC's influence, stating, "The American people have a right to know how extensively federal employees are utilizing or disseminating flawed and subjective information that effectively discriminates against them for their First Amendment protected political views."
The investigation led by Chairman Comer aims to shed light on the SPLC's influence over federal employees and the potential discriminatory effects of their actions. The committee's focus on the issue underscores the importance of ensuring that federal employees base their decisions on accurate and objective information, rather than flawed and subjective designations.
This article is based on the letter sent by Chairman Comer to Secretary Cardona and the information obtained from White House visitor logs. It highlights the concerns raised by Chairman Comer regarding the SPLC's influence over federal employees and the potential implications for Americans' First Amendment rights.
To learn more, click on this link: https://oversight.house.gov/release/comer-probes-southern-poverty-law-centers-influence-over-federal-employees%EF%BF%BC/
