Sen. Doug Jones: DOJ Case Against SPLC “Pure Political Retribution”
Former Democratic U.S. Senator and candidate for governor of Alabama, Doug Jones, accused the Trump administration of “weaponizing” the DOJ to indict the Southern Poverty Law Center.
DOUG JONES, FORMER U.S. SENATOR: The indictment that was returned against the Southern Poverty Law Center is just simply outrageous. This is not the pursuit of justice-this is pure political retribution. This is a Trump administration going after anyone who might oppose them-not just as a tax-exempt organization, but seeking criminal charges against an organization, the Southern Poverty Law Center, that has been around for 55 years and done remarkable work seeking justice on behalf of individuals and communities who cannot seek that justice themselves, who do not have the resources. The Southern Poverty Law Center has been there consistently for those voices, with the legal arm. A big example: back in 1981, a lynching that occurred in Mobile, Alabama-Michael Donald was lynched. It was the Southern Poverty Law Center that represented that family and got not just justice for Michael Donald and his family, but helped dismantle the Ku Klux Klan in Alabama and nationwide. And I’ve got to tell you, I’ve looked at this indictment. It is absolutely ridiculous to think that they were raising money in a fraudulent way simply because they did not disclose publicly all of the tactics they were using in trying to take down and dismantle these organizations. The tactics they are accused of-paying informants, including some people-those are tactics used by law enforcement every day. I mean, I’m a former prosecutor, with two stints at the Department of Justice. That’s how you take down hate groups. That’s how you take down extreme organizations. Hell, it’s how you take down drug cartels, for goodness’ sake. That’s what they do. And I know firsthand that the Southern Poverty Law Center, in years past, has given this information and shared it with local law enforcement and the FBI. They have used that information to help take down these groups. So this is crazy. This is another example of weaponization that they are taking to all new levels. Everyone in this state and folks across the country should be alarmed at what they’re seeing going on with this Department of Justice and how they are going after political enemies and those who simply oppose this president. It is not the way we do things, and it’s certainly never the way the Department of Justice should operate.
