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Southern Poverty Law Center

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Alabama Voting Rights Project highlights progress, deficiencies in state voting rights

When many Alabamians are released from jail, they assume they will never gain back their right to vote. The Alabama Voting Rights Project held a press conference in Montgomery on Wednesday during which they highlighted the importance of ensuring voting rights for all Alabamians and recognized achievements across the state in voting rights restoration. In … Continued
March 28, 2019
Roy Moore speaks to reporters and supporters

Moore says that it is “about time” for the SPLC shakeup

On Friday, Richard Cohen resigned as President from the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) where he has worked for the last 33 years. A week ago Cohen fired SPLC co-founder Morris Dees, for undisclosed accusations of misconduct. Also on Friday, Rhonda Brownstein, SPLC’s legal director, also resigned. Richard Cohen and the SPLC despised former Chief … Continued
March 25, 2019

Richard Cohen resigns from the Southern Poverty Law Center

The President of the Montgomery based Southern Poverty Law Center, Richard Cohen, announced that he is resigning amidst a growing scandal and allegations surrounding the nonprofit group. Cohen has been with the group since 1986. The LA Times obtained an email to staff from Cohen in which he announced: “Whatever problems exist at the SPLC … Continued
March 23, 2019

Enough with the altruistic falsities, let markets decide

The last three years of legislative sessions have taught us that there is almost always more to the story when it comes to legislation, especially when the Southern Poverty Law Center is involved. Year after year, the SPLC and their allies they have come to the Alabama Legislature with bills that they claim to be … Continued
March 21, 2019

SPLC fires founder Morris Dees; internal emails highlight issues with harassment, discrimination

The Southern Poverty Law Center on Thursday announced that it had fired Morris Dees, the center’s co-founder and long-time public face of the civil rights organization, amid undisclosed allegations that Dees failed to meet the standards of the SPLC. A statement sent by SPLC president Richard Cohen alluded to issues within the organization that made … Continued
March 15, 2019

Prisons, pay raises and pre-K: Gov. Kay Ivey’s ambitious agenda

From prison construction to pay raises for teachers and state employees, Gov. Kay Ivey pitched a wide-ranging and ambitious agenda to members of the Legislature gathered in the Old House Chambers of the State Capitol Tuesday for her second State of the State address. Ivey’s main priorities are raising the state’s motor fuels tax and … Continued
March 6, 2019

Internet personality sues Southern Poverty Law Center

Monday, internet television personality, humorist and public speaker Gavin McInnes has filed suit against the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center claiming damages for them labeling his work as hate speech. McInnes is an immigrant. He claims that he is an avowed and vocal opponent of discrimination based on race, religion or sexual preference and of … Continued
February 4, 2019

Lawsuit alleges migrant children being used as “bait” to arrest sponsors

A lawsuit filed by the Montgomery-based Southern Poverty Law Center alleges that the Trump administration has weaponized the Office of Refugee Resettlement and is using detained immigrant children as “bait” to arrest possible sponsors and, in the process, is keeping kids in shelters for prolonged periods of time. There are at least 10,000 children who … Continued
January 25, 2019
Facade of US Supreme court in Washington DC on sunny day

Supreme Court allows Trump administration’s transgender military ban

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court made a dramatic decision to temporarily allow the Trump administration’s ban on transgender military members as legal battles over the issue continue in lower courts. The court stuck to partisan lines in a 5-to-4 vote to lift two injunctions blocking the policy. The court’s five Republican-appointed justices were in … Continued
January 25, 2019

Judge rules Memorial Preservation Act unconstitutional

Jefferson County Judge Michael Graffeo ruled that the state of Alabama’s Memorial Preservation Act is unconstitutional because it limits the free speech rights of cities. The City of Birmingham wants to remove the historic Confederate veterans memorial in Linn Park but was blocked from doing so by the state legislature. Former state Representative Mack Butler (R-Rainbow … Continued
January 16, 2019