Alabama Launches Investigation Into Southern Poverty Law Center

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a civil investigation into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) on May 11, 2026, alleging the organization engaged in deceptive fundraising practices.

The investigation focuses on whether the Montgomery-based organization violated Alabama’s consumer protection statutes. As part of the probe, the Attorney General’s Office transmitted a subpoena to the SPLC on May 11, 2026, which requires the organization to produce requested documents by June 1, 2026.

Legal Basis for the Investigation

The state’s investigation is designed to determine if the activities of the SPLC within Alabama violated the state’s Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The Attorney General’s Office is examining whether the organization ran afoul of state laws governing charitable organizations.

Both the Deceptive Trade Practices Act and the laws related to charitable organizations fall under the enforcement jurisdiction of the Attorney General’s Office.

Connection to Federal Indictments

The announcement of the state-level civil investigation follows action taken by a federal grand jury. The SPLC was recently indicted on federal charges including wire fraud, false statements, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Attorney General Marshall stated that the efforts of the state of Alabama have received a “shot in the arm” due to the actions taken by the U.S. Justice Department to address the organization.

Statements from the Attorney General

Attorney General Marshall characterized the investigation as part of a long-standing conflict with the SPLC, citing previous legal battles regarding the protection of minors from transgender medical procedures, efforts to keep convicted individuals imprisoned, and the preservation of Republican congressional districts in Alabama.

“We have always suspected that they were monetizing hate and trading on race-baiting, it was just a matter of proving it,”

Steve Marshall

Marshall further indicated that the Attorney General’s Office intends to use the investigation to uncover more information regarding the internal operations of the SPLC, describing the organization as one the state had long believed was “rotten” but which had previously remained “impervious” to such efforts.

“My Office has been fighting the SPLC for years—whether fighting them to protect minors from transgender medical procedures, fighting them to keep bad guys behind bars, or fighting them to preserve Alabama’s Republican congressional districts,”

Steve Marshall