{"id":2599748,"date":"2026-05-07T07:05:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:05:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/norm-eisen-frets-doj-indictment-jeopardizes-people-on-splcs-hate-list-and-payroll\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T07:09:39","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T11:09:39","slug":"norm-eisen-frets-doj-indictment-jeopardizes-people-on-splcs-hate-list-and-payroll","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/norm-eisen-frets-doj-indictment-jeopardizes-people-on-splcs-hate-list-and-payroll\/","title":{"rendered":"Eisen Frets DOJ\u00a0Charges &#8216;Jeopardize&#8217; People On SPLC&#8217;s Payroll"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnorm-eisen-frets-doj-indictment-jeopardizes-people-on-splcs-hate-list-and-payroll%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2599748&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article describes a virtual press conference hosted by the Democracy Defenders Fund, led by former Obama official Norman Eisen, where Eisen defended the Southern Poverty law Center (SPLC) against a recent Justice Department indictment. It claims the DOJ alleges 11 counts including wire fraud and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/heres-everything-you-need-to-know-about-hunter-bidens-criminal-gun-trial\/\" title=\"Discover Key Details About Hunter Biden&#039;s Legal Gun Case\">related offenses tied<\/a> to an alleged \u201ccovert\u201d informant network, with assertions that SPLC paid about $3 million from donor money to people affiliated with extremist groups such as the Ku Klux Klan over nearly a decade.<\/p>\n<p>Eisen portrays the indictment as politically motivated \u201cretribution\u201d and argues that paying informants is standard practice in law enforcement, claiming the FBI and DOJ knew about it.He also suggests the case endangers individuals who allegedly cooperated with SPLC to help expose extremist groups. The piece argues Eisen\u2019s defense mirrors broader left-leaning and media efforts to downplay the charges and frames the indictment as partisan rather than criminal.<\/p>\n<p>The article concludes by noting similar defense and framing in other outlets, including claims that \u201cthe FBI dose it too,\u201d and provides background on the author.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has long served as an important fixture in the left\u2019s efforts to vilify and attack conservatives. So, it wasn\u2019t exactly surprising when former Obama administration lackey <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/person\/norman-l-eisen\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Norm Eisen<\/a> eagerly defended the group over its allegedly unlawful informant scheme that paid members of racist groups like the Ku Klux Klan (KKK).<\/p>\n<p>The moment occurred on Wednesday during a virtual press conference hosted by the Democracy Defenders Fund. Founded and led by Eisen, the <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >left-wing organization launched<\/a> in 2024 to partake \u201cin legal advocacy opposing Republican efforts to implement changes to election administration and procedures,\u201d according to the Capital Research Center\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.influencewatch.org\/non-profit\/state-democracy-defenders-fund\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">InfluenceWatch database<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>As The Federalist previously <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2025\/02\/05\/left-wing-lawyer-behind-anti-trump-lawfare-is-running-a-new-op-against-kash-patel\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reported<\/a>, Eisen helped found numerous anti-Trump groups \u201cthat participated in at least four lawfare attempts to throw Trump off the ballot or in jail during his 2024 presidential candidacy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The topic of Wednesday\u2019s presser was the Justice Department\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/04\/21\/grand-jury-indicts-southern-poverty-law-center-for-secret-fraudulent-payments-to-racist-groups\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">recent indictment<\/a> of the SPLC, which has spent years falsely classifying nonviolent conservative organizations as \u201chate groups\u201d alongside actual extremist groups. According to the agency, the far-left group has been charged with 11 counts of \u201cwire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering.\u201d The indictment specifically contained allegations that the SPLC paid $3 million in donor money to individuals affiliated with organizations like the KKK as part of a purported \u201ccovert\u201d informant network for nearly 10 years.<\/p>\n<p>Describing the charges as an \u201cassault on the SPLC,\u201d Eisen used his speaking time to run a full-throated defense of the far-left group bankrolling the very extremist organizations it claims it\u2019s fighting.<\/p>\n<p>He characterized the DOJ\u2019s indictment as \u201cnothing less than a direct attack on our country\u2019s freedom of speech, our democracy, and the future of independent organizations in the nonprofit and charitable sector that are committed to making this country a safer and better place.\u201d As if he were pulling words from his magic bag of left-wing talking points, he then accused the Trump administration of \u201cusing mis- and disinformation and outright lies to silence its critics and handcuff[] organizations that it perceives as a threat.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis indictment, as you<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/leftists-outraged-at-carrie-underwood-for-liking-matt-walsh-post\/\" title=\"Leftists Outraged At Carrie Underwood For Liking Matt Walsh Post\">\u2019ve heard today<\/a>, simply does not hold water. It\u2019s political retribution pure and simple. And whether it\u2019s at the pre-trial stage or through \u2026 trial, it is going to be rejected,\u201d Eisen claimed. <\/p>\n<p><strong>[READ:[READ:<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/04\/splc-indictment-shows-partisan-activists-were-running-the-fbi-domestic-terror-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SPLC Indictment Shows Partisan Activists Were Running The FBI Domestic Terror Program<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Eisen went on to defend the SPLC\u2019s alleged paying of informants by contending it\u2019s \u201ccommon practice across law enforcement agencies\u201d and \u201cwas known\u201d by the Justice Department and FBI. Equally notable, however, is when the former Obama official let attendees know whose \u201csafety\u201d he\u2019s <em>really<\/em> concerned about \u2014 the individuals affiliated with the extremist groups who are allegedly getting bankrolled by the SPLC.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe case comes dangerously close and indeed goes over the line in identifying individuals who cooperated with the SPLC to expose hate groups from the inside, jeopardizing their safety, and discouraging others who may be willing to come forward and protect us all from violent extremism,\u201d Eisen said. <\/p>\n<p>Eisen concluded his remarks by predicting that the indictment will \u201cmeet the same fate\u201d as <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/06\/james-comey-will-be-convicted-by-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">previously dismissed<\/a> charges brought against former FBI Director <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/tag\/james-comey\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">James Comey<\/a>. The famed Russia collusion hoaxer was more recently <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/04\/28\/james-comey-indicted-for-86-47-threat-against-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">indicted<\/a> for his apparent \u201c86 47\u201d threat against Trump, with the DOJ also <a href=\"https:\/\/news.bloomberglaw.com\/us-law-week\/trump-doj-pursuing-separate-comey-probe-for-classified-leaks\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reportedly<\/a> considering a different set of charges related to alleged leaking of classified information.<\/p>\n<p><strong>[READ:[READ:<a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/05\/06\/james-comey-will-be-convicted-by-history\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">James Comey Will Be Convicted \u2014 By History<\/a>]<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Eisen is hardly the only leftist to run defense for the SPLC and its purported activities. America\u2019s corporate media have also <a href=\"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/2026\/04\/22\/fbi-does-it-too-media-hacks-go-all-out-to-downplay-splc-indictment\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">joined the fray<\/a> by downplaying their alleged crimes and misleading readers into believing the far-left group\u2019s alleged informant scheme is nothing different than what law enforcement does. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cKey civil rights group indicted for paying informants. But FBI does it too,\u201d one USA Today headline read. <\/p>\n<hr>\n<p>      Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He is a co-recipient of the 2025 Dao Prize for Excellence in Investigative Journalism. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics and RealClearHealth. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Norm Eisen defended the SPLC\u2019s alleged informant scheme despite ties to KKK-linked racists<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":539,"featured_media":2599749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Norm-Eisen.png","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4035,7076,79247,16274,15303],"class_list":["post-2599748","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-charges","tag-doj","tag-eisen-frets","tag-payroll","tag-splc"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/thefederalist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Norm-Eisen.png","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599748","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/539"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2599748"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599748\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2599752,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2599748\/revisions\/2599752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2599749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2599748"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2599748"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2599748"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}