The Justice Department has charged the Southern Poverty Law Center with financial crimes, accusing the group of fraud tied to secretly paying informants inside extremist organizations. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said the organization was “not dismantling extremism, but funding it.”

The SPLC denied wrongdoing, with interim CEO Bryan Fair saying the group would not be intimidated into silence or contrition and would vigorously defend its staff and mission. He also argued the organization was being targeted for political reasons.