Contact: Liberty Counsel, 407-875-1776, Media@LC.org; Press Kit 
 
ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 16, 2017 /Christian Newswire/ -- The D.C. shooter was a Facebook fan of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a reckless organization that falsely labels people and organizations as "haters" or "hate groups." The SPLC has now admitted James Hodgkinson "liked" the SPLC on Facebook. The SPLC continues to ignore warnings about its dangerous and false labeling, even though two separate mass murder attempts have been perpetrated by followers of the SPLC. Wednesday was the most recent attempted mass murder by someone who followed the SPLC. The first mass murder attempt was in 2012, when Floyd Corkins confessed he was motivated by the SPLC "Hate Map."

On Wednesday, June 14, 2017, James Hodgkinson gunned down Rep. Steve Scalise (R-LA), Zach Barth, a staff member for Congressman Roger Williams, former Congressional staff member Matt Mika and two U.S. Capitol Police officers yesterday at a practice for a charity baseball game for members of Congress.

In 2015, the SPLC wrote an article promoting the idea that Rep. Scalise promoted white supremacy and supported a "hate group" founded by former KKK member David Duke. The SPLC article clearly tries to infer that Rep. Scalise is a so-called "hater" and supporter of a "hate group."

The SPLC is also linked to the attempted mass murder in the 2012 shooting at the Washington, D.C. office of the Family Research Council (FRC).  Floyd Corkins II was stopped by the FRC security guard, who was shot in the process. Corkins confessed to the FBI that he intended to commit mass murder and was motivated by the so-called "Hate Map" on the SPLC website that listed FRC as a "hate group."

The SPLC's caustic and false rhetoric is dangerous because it creates a "Hate Map" listing so-called "hate groups." Mark Potock, with the SPLC admitted in an interview: "Our criteria for a 'hate group,' first of all, have nothing to do with criminality, or violence, or any kind of guess we're making about 'this group could be dangerous.' It's strictly ideological." Mark Potok is on video in a public meeting stating: "Sometimes the press will describe us as monitoring hate crimes and so on. I want to say plainly that our aim in life is to destroy these groups, to completely destroy them..."

The Philanthropy Roundtable recently published an article about the SPLC pointing out the false labeling. The SPLC even labeled famed surgeon Dr. Ben Carson as a "hater." The SPLC rakes in millions of dollars each year and has huge financial reserves, causing some to wonder what nonprofit work the SPLC does.

"The Southern Poverty Law Center not only promotes hate but its reckless and false labeling provides the motivation for extremists to commit acts of terrorism against innocent people," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "To falsely label people with whom you disagree as 'haters' or 'hate groups' is irresponsible, dangerous and deadly. The Southern Poverty Law Center is intent on destroying pro-family organizations. This dangerous action by the SPLC must cease. How many attempted mass murders and violent crimes will it take for the SPLC to stop this dangerous labeling? The SPLC must cease and desist," said Staver.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.