Trump Administration’s Indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center is ‘a Clear Abuse of Power’

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Nancy Rodriguez, media@acslaw.org

Washington, DC – The American Constitution Society released the following statement in response to the Trump administration’s indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC):

“SPLC has been at the forefront of civil rights work for over 50 years. Their work has helped combat hate and build political power for underrepresented and underserved communities across the United States. Nonprofit organizations like SPLC provide critical defense of civil liberties, rights, and freedoms in the face of government overreach.

We have seen in countries around the world that authoritarians and leaders of backsliding democracies often target civil society organizations in pursuit of consolidated power. Over the past 15 months, the Trump administration has shown no hesitation in weaponizing the U.S. Department of Justice to bring lawsuits and criminal charges targeting individuals, law firms, and universities with whom it disagrees on policy or politics. It is shameful that they have now added nonprofit groups defending our democracy and our rights to that list. This is a clear abuse of power. The American Constitution Society stands in solidarity with SPLC and all of our partners working to uphold the rule of law, strengthen our democratic legitimacy, and realize the promise of equality for all."

###

AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SOCIETY
The American Constitution Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, non-partisan legal organization. Through a diverse nationwide network of progressive lawyers, law students, judges, scholars, advocates, and many others, our mission is to support and advocate for laws and legal systems that redress the founding failures of our Constitution, strengthen our democratic legitimacy, uphold the rule of law, and realize the promise of equality for all, including people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, and other historically excluded communities. For more information, visit us at www.acslaw.org.