SPLC Seeks Dismissal of Fraud Indictment, Claims Motive

Lawyers for the Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal judge on Tuesday to dismiss a criminal indictment against the organization, arguing the case is a politically motivated act of retribution by the Justice Department. The motion, filed in Washington, D.C., contends the prosecution is part of a top-down campaign targeting perceived political enemies of President Donald Trump.

The Alabama-based civil rights nonprofit was indicted in April on fraud and money laundering charges. Prosecutors allege the SPLC misled donors by paying informants inside white supremacist and other extremist organizations to gather information about their activities without disclosing the practice to contributors.

In their filing, defense attorneys argued the indictment is the culmination of a campaign in which Trump pushed the Justice Department to pursue his political opponents. They cited a recent statement from Trump calling the SPLC "one of the greatest scams in American History" and noted it had been charged with fraud. The motion also points to comments from other administration officials, including a senior civil rights official who said the indictment was personal due to her connections to...