Congressman Cohen Questions Witnesses at a Hearing on the Southern Poverty Law Center

WASHINGTON - Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-9), a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, today questioned expert witnesses before its Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government at a hearing entitled "Partisan and Profitable: The SPLC's Influence on Federal Civil Rights Policy."

The Republican majority on the Subcommittee sought to characterize the longtime civil rights organization -- founded in 1971 by civil rights giants Julian Bond and Morris Dees, and which historically sued the Ku Klux Klan and other white supremacist groups into bankruptcy -- as an "anti-Christian" organization. It also suggested it had an outsized and illegitimate influence on the Biden Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

"They (SPLC) used to bring cases, and I still think they do bring cases, that are important," Congressman Cohen said.

Congressman Cohen also noted that many leaders of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), A.M.E, C.M.E., and Black Baptist congregations are supporters of the SPLC.

See Congressman Cohen's exchange with the witnesses here.

Witnesses at the hearing were:

• Andrew Sypher, Executive Vice President of Field Operations, Turning Point USA
• Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council
• Tyler O'Neil, Senior Editor, The Daily Signal
• Amanda Tyler, Executive Director, Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty

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