By Steve Levy
Friday, May 1, 2026
A federal grand jury recently indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for allegedly using donations intended to combat racism to fund white supremacist and extremist groups.
The SPLC, once a prominent organization confronting the Ku Klux Klan, now faces accusations of channeling millions from its donor base into groups that promote racial division. According to the indictment, the organization reportedly funneled over $3 million to leaders of racist organizations in an effort to purportedly support protests and then solicit additional donations to target those same groups.
The SPLC previously characterized itself as a force for good when it challenged the KKK, which at its peak boasted 4 million members. However, after the KKK’s membership declined to approximately 4,000, the organization shifted its narrative to portray white racism as omnipresent.
The indictment cites alleged involvement in funding events such as the 2017 Charlottesville, Virginia, riots. This activity is said to have nearly tripled the SPLC’s donor base the following year.
Steve Levy, who served as Suffolk County Executive and is now president of Common Sense Strategies, recounted how the SPLC targeted his administration during efforts to address illegal immigration on Long Island. The organization falsely claimed that Levy proposed empowering police officers to detain Latinos solely based on suspicion of undocumented status. In reality, police were authorized only to notify federal authorities if an individual suspected of a crime was found to be undocumented upon arrest.
Another false allegation was that Levy oversaw zoning violations and evictions targeting Latino day laborers. However, the raids occurred because landlords had housed 66 people in severely overcrowded two-bedroom apartments.
The SPLC also misrepresented Levy’s 2006 comments regarding border crossings by women giving birth in the United States as an endorsement of “anchor babies.” Levy clarified that the statement was accurate and now aligns with current debates on birthright citizenship.
Additionally, the SPLC falsely claimed that Levy co-founded a group promoting “immigrant cleansing” ordinances. No such ordinances were enacted, according to Levy’s documentation.
The organization further alleged that Suffolk police failed to investigate an assault claim by Javier Monroy. However, a Suffolk detective conducted thorough investigations and issued a reward for information leading to the perpetrator.
Over a decade later, Levy witnessed the consequences of the SPLC’s efforts to suppress conservative voices. When he sought to unify “Moms for Liberty” chapters on Long Island, the SPLC designated them as hate groups, causing many chapters to dissolve due to harassment and threats. This designation was adopted by media outlets that regularly cite the SPLC’s hate map.
Levy noted that a petition to fire Kevin Smith, founder of the conservative group Loud Majority, followed because his organization was placed on the SPLC’s hate list.
The indictment marks a significant turning point in the SPLC’s history. “The bloom has been forever lost from the SPLC rose,” Levy stated.
