UMVA has learned that the embattled leader of a left-wing nonprofit, accused of secretly funneling money to members of extremist groups while publicly committing to "confronting hate," is headed for a grueling interrogation on Capitol Hill.
Bryan Fair, the interim CEO and President of the organization, will testify before the House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday as a congressional probe into the civil rights group’s now-defunct informant practices heats up. This comes as federal prosecutors secured an 11-count indictment against the organization in April for alleged financial crimes, including defrauding its donors by concealing payments to members of extremist groups.
The indictment alleges that the nonprofit ostensibly sought to infiltrate extremist organizations to monitor their activities but allegedly did not disclose the payments to donors and engaged in conduct that prosecutors say amounted to bank fraud. The organization has denied any wrongdoing and argued the criminal charges are politically motivated.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the House Judiciary Committee Chairman is probing the organization’s ties to the Biden Department of Justice on civil rights matters. The panel's investigation predates the criminal indictment and has sparked sharp criticism from Republicans over the Biden Justice Department's use of the nonprofit's notorious "hate map" that targeted conservative groups.
Republicans have accused the Department of using the "hate map" to stifle conservative groups' ability to get their message out. The Department of Justice filed a superseding indictment last week specifying that the organization covertly transferred more than $4 million in donor funds to bank accounts under fictitious names to pay members of extremist groups between 2010 and 2023.
The new indictment alleges that an organization employee paid two Klan members $1,200 per month to stay in the hate group after the unnamed individuals approached the organization in 2010 requesting help to exit. Some of the money was allegedly used by extremist groups for recruitment purposes and for the reimbursement of expenses related to cross-burnings and Ku Klux Klan attire.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that federal prosecutors allege that one informant whom the organization paid more than $270,000 helped plan the deadly 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Va. The organization directed the informant to attend the demonstration and "made racist postings under the supervision of the organization."
The organization is also under congressional scrutiny for significantly increasing its profits during the years it operated the controversial informant program. The nonprofit’s revenue grew from $38.7 million in 2010 to more than $129 million in 2023, amounting to a 233% increase.
Democratic lawmakers have slammed Republicans' probe of the organization, calling it "misplaced and misguided." However, Republicans argue that the investigation is necessary to uncover the truth about the organization's alleged wrongdoing.
Several high-profile witnesses, including Alveda King and Ryan Bangert, are also expected to testify before the Judiciary Committee on Tuesday. The hearing is set to shed more light on the organization's activities and its alleged ties to extremist groups.
