Brian Morris Interviewed in USA Today: “'Weak': DOJ Fraud Charges Against SPLC Use an Unusual Legal Theory”

Brian Morris was interviewed in a USA Today article titled “'Weak': DOJ Fraud Charges Against SPLC Use an Unusual Legal Theory.” The article examines the Justice Department’s case against the Southern Poverty Law Center over allegations that it used donated funds to pay informants within hate groups, a tactic former prosecutors describe as unusual.

Most of the criminal counts against the SPLC involve alleged wire fraud. Morris said nearly all wire fraud prosecutions involve defendants who misappropriate assets for their own personal gain. The case against the SPLC — with the government claiming the SPLC siphoned money from anti-extremism donors and then used funds to support extremism — looks very different, he said. "It’s likely going to be much more difficult for the government to succeed under its nuanced theory than in a classic case," he added.

Remaining false statement charges, which allege the SPLC had an employee claim sole ownership of fictitiously named bank accounts that were used to pay informants, appear stronger. "You can't lie to the bank to gain access to the U.S. financial system using fictitious companies that hide your identity," Morris said.

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