Changes

Indeed, the SPLC has a history of adding groups to its listing of purported "hate groups" in advance of a government law enforcement campaign against them.  The SPLC inexplicably added the [[Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints]] (FLDS) to its "hate groups" list just before FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was indicted on charges of arranging [[polygamy|polygamous]] underage marriages.  The timing of this listing by SPLC was suspicious, as is the accuracy of calling FLDS a "hate group" to begin with, any controversy over their polygamous practices notwithstanding.

Indeed, the SPLC has a history of adding groups to its listing of purported "hate groups" in advance of a government law enforcement campaign against them.  The SPLC inexplicably added the [[Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints]] (FLDS) to its "hate groups" list just before FLDS leader Warren Jeffs was indicted on charges of arranging [[polygamy|polygamous]] underage marriages.  The timing of this listing by SPLC was suspicious, as is the accuracy of calling FLDS a "hate group" to begin with, any controversy over their polygamous practices notwithstanding.

The SPLC brags about being an informant for the FBI. Mark Potok, an SPLC spokesman, said, "Law enforcement agencies come to us every day with questions about particular groups." This was done to circumvent policies against domestic political spying.<ref>[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/doc/405293377.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug%2013%2C%201999&author=Anne%20E.%20Kornblut%2C%20Globe%20Staff&pub=Boston%20Globe&edition=&startpage=&desc=FBI%20limited%20in%20battling%20hate%20groups]</ref> But the FBI has recently disavowed the SPLC by drropping it from being listed as a resource on the FBI web site.<ref>Feb. 2014 page [http://web.archive.org/web/20140209112737/http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/hate_crimes], current hate crime page [http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/hate_crimes]</ref>

The SPLC brags about being an informant for the FBI. Mark Potok, an SPLC spokesman, said, "Law enforcement agencies come to us every day with questions about particular groups." This was done to circumvent policies against domestic political spying.<ref>[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/boston/doc/405293377.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Aug%2013%2C%201999&author=Anne%20E.%20Kornblut%2C%20Globe%20Staff&pub=Boston%20Globe&edition=&startpage=&desc=FBI%20limited%20in%20battling%20hate%20groups]</ref> But the FBI disavowed the SPLC by dropping it from being listed as a resource on the FBI website,<ref>Feb. 2014 page [http://web.archive.org/web/20140209112737/http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/hate_crimes], current hate crime page [http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/investigate/civilrights/hate_crimes/hate_crimes]</ref> though it admitted to relying upon the SPLC as recently as mid-2018.<ref>Byas, Steve (August 1, 2018). [https://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/29679-fbi-admits-to-using-leftwing-southern-poverty-law-center FBI Admits to Using Left-wing Southern Poverty Law Center]. ''The New American''. Retrieved August 1, 2018.</ref>

==''Into the Mainstream'' controversy==

==''Into the Mainstream'' controversy==