Authored by Aldgra Fredly via The Epoch Times,
A federal judge on Aug. 7 rejected the Southern Poverty Law Center’s (SPLC) bid to dismiss charges brought by the Justice Department, saying the nonprofit failed to show that the prosecution against it was vindictive.
The department indicted the SPLC in April on 11 counts of wire fraud, making false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit money laundering. The organization was accused of defrauding donors by funneling millions of dollars to informants who infiltrated white supremacist and hate groups that it publicly opposed.
The SPLC filed a motion on May 26 seeking dismissal of the charges, arguing the indictment was vindictive and that the administration targeted it for exercising its First Amendment right to identify, report on, and criticize extremist hate groups.
U.S. District Judge Emily Marks rejected the motion after finding that the SPLC failed to provide evidence showing that prosecutors involved in the case were motivated by animus and that such animus had led to the organization’s prosecution.
“Our Republic recognizes different venues to vindicate d
