Trump Action Archive

Supporting reports

• Federal grand jury indicts Southern Poverty Law Center for wire fraud, false statements, and money laundering conspiracy — A federal grand jury in Montgomery, Alabama, returned an indictment charging the Southern Poverty Law Center with 11 counts of wire fraud, false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment money laundering. The indictment alleges that between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC funneled more than $3 million in donated funds to individuals associated with violent extremist groups including the Ku Klux Klan, Aryan Nations, and National Socialist Party of America, while publicly claiming to oppose those groups. The DOJ alleges the organization used fictitious bank accounts to conceal the scheme and made false statements to financial institutions.
• Acting Attorney General Blanche announces 11-count indictment of Southern Poverty Law Center — Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche held a press conference announcing an 11-count federal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, charging the civil rights organization with wire fraud, making false statements to a bank, and conspiracy to launder money. The charges relate to a now-defunct program in which the SPLC paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups and shared information with law enforcement. Legal experts have characterized the charges as weak, and the SPLC has denied all wrongdoing. The indictment was widely viewed as an effort by Blanche to demonstrate to Trump his willingness to use the DOJ against political rivals.
• DOJ pressured prosecutors to indict Southern Poverty Law Center despite case-strength concerns, whistleblower alleges — A Department of Justice lawyer, Aakash Singh, reportedly pressured federal prosecutors in Alabama to rush an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center despite serious concerns about the case's strength, according to a whistleblower account shared with House Democrats. Acting US Attorney General Todd Blanche announced the indictment on April 21, accusing the civil rights organization of wire fraud and money laundering related to an informant program. Democrats Jamie Raskin and Mary Gay Scanlon opened an investigation into the matter, citing Singh's directive to prosecutors to expedite charges. Legal experts have characterized the charges as weak, and the SPLC has denied all wrongdoing.
• Justice Department indicts Southern Poverty Law Center on federal fraud charges — Trump's Justice Department indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center on federal fraud charges, alleging the civil rights organization defrauded donors by secretly paying informants more than $3 million to infiltrate white supremacist and extremist groups, including the Ku Klux Klan. The tactic of using paid informants has been used by the FBI and other federal agencies for decades. Critics characterized the indictment as "nakedly political."
• DOJ indicts Southern Poverty Law Center on federal fraud charges — The Department of Justice, through Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, announced an 11-count federal indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) by an Alabama grand jury. The charges include wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, alleging the SPLC funneled over $3 million to confidential informants within extremist groups between 2014 and 2023 using fictitious entities, and misrepresented to donors and banks how funds were being used. The SPLC's CEO Bryan Fair disputed the allegations and stated the informant program "saved lives."
• Southern Poverty Law Center indicted on federal fraud charges by Trump administration DOJ — The Southern Poverty Law Center was indicted on federal fraud charges by acting attorney general Todd Blanche, alleging the organization improperly paid informants to infiltrate extremist groups without disclosing payments to donors. The indictment claims at least $3 million went to informants affiliated with the KKK, Aryan Nations, and other groups between 2014 and 2023. SPLC CEO Bryan Fair stated the payments were necessary to monitor violence threats and that information was shared with the FBI and law enforcement. Charges include wire fraud, bank fraud, and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
• DOJ indicted Southern Poverty Law Center for fraud — The Department of Justice indicted the Southern Poverty Law Center, alleging that SPLC used donor money to pay informants to infiltrate right-wing hate groups, but claiming the purpose was to create false flags to instigate violence and racist demonstrations. The indictment has refueled conspiracy theories that the January 6 insurrection was instigated by infiltrators paid by left-wing groups. Rep. Dan Goldman criticized the indictment as legally baseless, comparing it to prosecuting the FBI for funding drug trafficking through informants.

Supporting reports

• California Republicans file suit to block Newsom's fast-track redistricting plan — Republican state legislators in California filed an emergency petition on Tuesday to block Governor Gavin Newsom's mid-year redistricting plan, which aims to counter Texas's redrawn congressional maps. The suit argues the legislative process violates a 30-day introduction-to-vote requirement and bypasses the state's independent citizens redistricting commission. Newsom announced the plan to use California's voting power to counteract Republican gains expected from Texas redistricting, framing it as a response to Trump's influence over mapmaking in Republican-led states.
• Texas House Republicans impose surveillance protocols and "permission slips" on Democratic lawmakers — Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows ordered around-the-clock police escorts and mandatory "permission slip" forms for Democratic representatives who had left the state to break quorum on redistricting votes. Democrats, who had fled to California, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York to delay Republican efforts to redraw congressional districts favoring Donald Trump, returned to Austin on Monday. Upon return, they faced surveillance including plainclothes officers following them to homes and grocery stores. On Tuesday, Democrats tore up the permission slips and occupied the House floor in protest, calling the protocol "demeaning" and an attack on their dignity and freedom of movement.
• Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows demanded Democratic representatives sign commitment statements and assigned state troopers to monitor their movements to ensure attendance at redistricting vote. — After 51 Democratic Texas state representatives returned from a quorum-breaking absence on August 19, House Speaker Dustin Burrows required them to sign statements committing to appear for a Wednesday vote on congressional redistricting maps. Refusal to sign risked arrest. Burrows also assigned state troopers to monitor the Democrats' movements around the clock until the final vote. The measure would convert five Democratic congressional seats to Republican-dominated districts at President Trump's direction.
• Texas House speaker assigned state troopers to police Democratic members — The Republican Texas House speaker assigned state troopers to police Democratic members to ensure they show up and provide enough lawmakers present to conduct business. This enforcement mechanism was used to compel attendance during legislative sessions, including redistricting votes.

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• Trump called for investigation into former Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas — At a press conference in Ochopee, Florida, Trump called for an investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, who served as Homeland Security Secretary under President Joe Biden. The call for investigation occurred in the context of Trump's broader statements about arresting and deporting individuals.
• Trump calls for investigation into political opponents — President Trump called for an investigation into Alejandro Mayorkas, the Homeland Security Secretary, and threatened to arrest New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani if he does not cooperate with ICE. Trump made unfounded claims about Mamdani's citizenship status, asserting he is a communist and suggesting he is in the U.S. illegally.

Supporting reports

• Harmeet Dhillon issues new civil rights division mission statements deprioritizing marginalized groups — Harmeet Dhillon, Trump-appointed head of the DOJ Civil Rights Division (confirmed early April 2025), sent new internal mission statements to multiple sections this week that fundamentally redirect the division's focus away from protecting marginalized groups' rights. The Voting Rights Section now prioritizes hunting noncitizen voters and preventing "fraud" over enforcing the Voting Rights Act. The Housing and Civil Enforcement Section omits the Fair Housing Act entirely and targets "racially discriminatory lending programs" (code for attacking minority credit initiatives). The Educational Opportunities Section focuses on preventing discrimination against white applicants and anti-transgender issues. The Disability Rights Section redirects resources toward targeting transgender Americans via executive orders.