UMVA has learned that the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is facing a mounting challenge to its tax-exempt status, as a Republican congressman has formally requested that the Treasury Secretary strip the organization of its charitable privileges.
The plea from Rep. Mark Harris, R-N.C., comes after a scathing allegation that the SPLC has been using its millions of dollars in funding to target conservatives while secretly bankrolling extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan.
According to sources close to the matter, Harris has pointed to a disturbing pattern of behavior by the SPLC, including its infamous "Hate Map," which has repeatedly targeted mainstream Christian groups, such as the Family Research Council and Alliance Defending Freedom.
Harris has also accused the SPLC of engaging in a calculated scheme to fund extremist activities, including a $4 million donation that was allegedly used to fund a Ku Klux Klan rally and a cross-burning incident.
The North Carolina representative has further alleged that the SPLC has become a "strong left-wing political organization that is really just funding groups that most Americans are absolutely appalled to know." He has also claimed that the group's actions have "created the racism it claims to fight."
In a shocking revelation, Harris has revealed that the SPLC saw a significant spike in contributions after the 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and has accused the group of paying an informant to help plan the event.
Harris' letter to the Treasury Secretary has concluded with a stark warning: "The evidence is clear: the SPLC does not operate as a charitable organization and should therefore lose its tax-exempt status. I respectfully ask that you direct the IRS to examine the SPLC's Section 501(c)(3) status and take appropriate action to revoke their tax-exempt status."
