Congress Exposes SPLC’s ‘Hate Map’ Influence

A significant congressional hearing was held this week where the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government turned its attention to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), examining its outsized and partisan role in shaping federal civil rights policy, law enforcement training, and private-sector decisions.

 

Titled “Partisan and Profitable: The SPLC’s Influence on Federal Civil Rights Policy,” the hearing, chaired by Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas), highlighted how the once-respected civil rights organization has transformed into a highly lucrative, ideologically driven entity that targets mainstream conservative and Christian groups while wielding undue influence over government and corporate America.

Chairman Roy opened the proceedings by describing the SPLC as “one of the most politically motivated, financially lucrative and ideologically extreme nonprofits in America,” noting its extraordinary sway over federal policies and mechanisms that increasingly control civic participation.

 

A History of Real-World Consequences

 

A centerpiece of the testimony came from Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council (FRC), which endured a terrorist attack in 2012 inspired by the SPLC’s designations.

 

Perkins recounted the August 15, 2012, incident: “An armed LGBTQ activist named Floyd Corkins entered FRC headquarters with a loaded semi-automatic pistol, nearly 100 rounds of ammunition, and 15 Chick-fil-A sandwiches. He later admitted to the FBI that his intention was to ‘kill the people in the building’ and stuff the sandwiches into his victims’ mouths as a political statement.”

Corkins used the SPLC’s “hate map” to locate FRC. Despite the attack, and the heroic actions of building manager Leo Johnson, who was shot while disarming the assailant, the SPLC has never removed FRC from its list.

 

Perkins emphasized that while the SPLC “once did legitimate civil rights work,” it has since devolved into an organization that “plays the game, blows the whistle, and calls the penalties.” He described the hate map as “a political weapon aimed at silencing viewpoints they oppose,” functioning like a “digital scarlet letter” that restricts speech and isolates organizations.

 

Bias on Display: Targeting Conservatives, Ignoring Left-Wing Extremism

 

Tyler O’Neil, senior editor at The Daily Signal and author on the SPLC, detailed how the group’s designations deter donors and influence corporations like Amazon and Alphabet to deplatform or defund labeled groups.

 

Rep. Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.) pointed out the SPLC’s selective application: mainstream conservatives are lumped in with genuine extremists, while violent left-wing groups like Antifa are ignored. She quoted former SPLC president Richard Cohen admitting that certain forms of hate “it’s not the type of hate we follow.”

 

Perkins added that the SPLC routinely equates peaceful Christian ministries with violent extremists, all while overlooking radical left-wing intimidation and violence.

 

Government reliance on SPLC materials was another key concern. Perkins noted that agencies like the Department of Defense and DHS have used SPLC resources in trainings that cast suspicion on Christian groups, and schools have presented them as objective fact to students.

 

“They have the freedom to speak and make lists,” Perkins clarified. “But it’s when the government uses that list to marginalize citizens, you have taken a player, and you’ve made them a referee.”

 

SPLC Allies Struggle to Defend Its Designations

 

The hearing exposed the indefensibility of the SPLC’s labels when minority witness Amanda Tyler, executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty, faced questioning.

 

Rep. Bob Onder (R-Mo.) pressed Tyler on whether groups like Alliance Defending Freedom, Turning Point USA, and FRC qualify as “hate groups.” Tyler repeatedly demurred, saying she wouldn’t use the term and that her organization doesn’t label groups.

 

Perkins, in contrast, firmly stated that none of these organizations advocate violence.

 

O’Neil highlighted the SPLC’s anti-Christian bias, citing its designation of the small Catholic Ruth Institute for affirming traditional Church teachings on sexuality.

 

Perkins explained FRC’s listing stems from its “biblical view of marriage and human sexuality,” linking it directly to the 2012 attack inspired by public support for traditional marriage.

 

Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) gave Perkins the opportunity to affirm core Christian beliefs:

• Is the Christian worldview hateful? “No.”
• Is affirming two genders hateful? “No.”
• Is believing in marriage between a man and a woman hateful? “No. It’s the reason we’re all here today.”
• Does disapproving of actions mean hating people? “No.”

 

Democratic Deflections and the Core Issue

 

Democrats pushed back, with Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) defending the SPLC’s past designation of FRC and expressing personal offense at conservative views on sexuality. Others, like Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) and Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), attempted to redirect focus to unrelated issues or question the hearing’s necessity.

 

Tyler warned of threats to “pluralistic democracy” if certain ideologies are stigmatized, ironically underscoring the Republicans’ point about the dangers of government endorsing biased lists.

 

Time For Accountability

 

The hearing concluded with a powerful reminder that grace is at work even amid danger. Perkins shared his hospital visit with the wounded Leo Johnson, who chose not to shoot the disarmed attacker because “God told me not to.”

 

“That kind of restraint, the belief that life is sacred, is what the SPLC refuses to acknowledge in the very people it labels as dangerous,” Perkins stated.

 

As federal agencies begin distancing themselves from the SPLC, this hearing marks a critical step toward ensuring government policy isn’t shaped by partisan smear campaigns. The evidence presented makes clear: the SPLC’s influence has gone too far, and it’s time for accountability to protect free speech, religious liberty, and genuine civil discourse.

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