Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche speaks at a press conference with FBI Director Kash Patel following the indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC on April 21, 2026. (Photo by Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Press Release
President Trump is Weaponizing the DOJ Against Prominent Civil Rights Organization
The Project On Government Oversight (POGO) condemns the administration’s latest attack on non-profits
Washington, D.C. — Non-profits across the country are raising the alarm on the Trump administration’s latest move to weaponize the Department of Justice against civil rights organizations. Isabel Munilla, interim executive director at POGO, issued the following statement:
“No president should use federal power to silence perceived political enemies. The administration’s attack on the Southern Poverty Law Center is part of an alarming pattern to intimidate and silence public interest organizations. First, they targeted law firms defending individual freedoms. Now, they are targeting non-profits that expose misconduct and injustice.
“Civil rights organizations play a vital role in exposing injustice and protecting the freedoms guaranteed by our Constitution. This administration is openly weaponizing the Department of Justice to punish those with whom it disagrees. This cannot continue.
“We exist to hold the government accountable, and we will continue to speak out against abuses of power for as long as this government targets organizations that protect our freedoms.”
