It was always a bit horrifying that the ADL and the SPLC are deeply intertwined with government, particularly at the federal level. So the world is a little better place now that these organizations have been been dropped as “resources” on the FBI‘s Hate Crime Web page. This occurred

after 15 family groups pressed Attorney General Eric Holder and FBI Director James Comey to stop endorsing a group — SPLC — that inspired a recent case of domestic terrorism at the Family Research Council.

“We commend the FBI for removing website links to the Southern Poverty Law Center, an organization that not only dispenses erroneous data but has been linked to domestic terrorism in federal court. We hope this means the FBI leadership will avoid any kind of partnership with the SPLC,” Tony Perkins, FRC President, told Secrets.

“The Southern Poverty Law Center’s mission to push anti-Christian propaganda is inconsistent with the mission of both the military and the FBI, which is to defend and uphold the Constitution of the United States,” he added. (Washington Examiner)

The Daily Caller has a nice summary of the SPLC’s role:

Back in 2012, 28-year-old Floyd Corkins II used the SPLC’s Hate Map, which lists groups ranging from the Klu Klux Klan to pro-traditional marriage nonprofits as “active hate groups,” to locate the Family Research Council based in Washington, D.C. Armed with one hundred rounds of ammunition and 15 Chik-Fil-A sandwiches, he planned to “smother in [the] faces” of his victims. Corkins ended shooting up FRC’s lobby and wounding a security guard. He was subdued by the wounded security guard and arrested before he could claim any lives — and charged with three felonies, committing an act of terrorism while armed, assault with intent to kill and transporting a firearm over state lines.

Let’s hope the victim sues the SPLC. Such a lawsuit would be quite on a par with SPLC lawsuits against organizations where someone associated with the organization commits a crime. Poetic justice.

The ADL was not pleased:

Abraham H. Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, told Secrets, “We are shocked, surprised and disappointed that this would be done without any consultation with groups such as ours who have been working closely with the Federal Bureau of Investigation on issues of hate crime. We look forward to having further conversations with them on this issue.”

Which shows that the ADL will exert pressure to be put back on the list of resources. However, the link between the crime and the SPLC likely gives the FBI cover for getting rid of all non-governmental groups as resources for “hate crimes.”

A search for the story turned up nothing in the major media. So we will continue to see the SPLC quoted on immigration and other issues as a “respected civil rights organization.”