Dear John,

The House is back in session today after its August recess. While Washington may have slowed down for a few weeks, thankfully the DOJ's various investigations into the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) did not -- and there are major updates you need to know about.

There has been a second superseding indictment, finally naming a person: Heidi Beirich.

Beirich, who served as head of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, was arrested on August 12 after being charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to submit false statements to a federally insured bank, and conspiracy to commit concealment of money laundering.

Beirich, in her almost two decades at the SPLC played a key role in targeting Christian and conservative organizations as so-called "hate" groups. She was also responsible, according to the indictment, for dispensing SPLC donor money to leaders and members of extremist groups -- such as the KKK, National Alliance, Aryan Nations, and more -- that the SPLC claimed it was dismantling.

Not only was the SPLC funneling money to these so-called informants, but according to the latest indictment, Beirich was romantically involved with one such informant who received $1.2 million under her leadership -- and they shared bank accounts. We knew the initial indictments against the SPLC were only the tip of the iceberg -- and now, we're starting to see it all play out.

Over the years, Family Research Council has delivered numerous petitions -- signed by tens of thousands of believers like you -- to members of Congress and government agencies, urging them to investigate the SPLC and abandon using them as a trusted resource for official information and data.

What we're seeing now is the fruit of our many years' worth of work. Your faithful support allows us to gather and deliver petitions of this magnitude to our nation's leaders in Washington, D.C., urging them to act on critical issues and actually moving the needle. Will you continue to stand with us?

PARTNER WITH FRC

If the government's allegations are true, for Beirich, hate paid -- and it paid well.

Beirich's informant and romantic partner, "F-9," allegedly became part of the neo-Nazi group National Alliance and stole boxes of records on behalf of the SPLC. And in F-9 and Beirich's multi-year relationship, they shared a home and two bank accounts.

So rather than combating the hate and extremism that the SPLC claims to fight, it allegedly funded individuals associated with the very extremist groups spreading it, while putting targets on the backs of legitimate, good-willed Christian conservative groups through tools like its "hate map."

This map labels organizations such as Family Research Council, Turning Point USA, Moms for Liberty, and Alliance Defending Freedom as "extremist hate groups," as if they belong next to groups like the KKK.

There have been real-life consequences of such egregiously false labeling.

In fact, just last month marked 14 years since the hate-map-inspired attack on our staff and building.

As I testified before Congress this past May, we appealed both publicly and privately to the SPLC following the attack to remove our name, along with the names of other mainstream Christian organizations, from its unjust classifications. Those requests were rejected.

Working in concert with the SPLC, banks, payment processors, fundraising platforms, and tech companies used SPLC classifications to determine which organizations could operate freely in the digital marketplace.

And as stated in a report released by the DOJ Weaponization Working Group just this past Friday, the Biden FBI relied on SPLC materials in an investigation that targeted Catholic priests and parishes based, in part, on their traditional religious beliefs. Now, as the mask is pulled off the SPLC, we see that this is not just about alleged fraud. It is about the weaponization of financial institutions, and even federal agencies, against those who stand for biblical values.

Your support today helps put a stop to this injustice. You're helping shine a spotlight on corrupt organizations that want to silence conservative Christians through our national Washington Watch broadcast and The Washington Stand news outlet. And you're enabling our policy team to educate and equip lawmakers to take action.

GIVE TODAY

To this day, we have a bullet hole in the wall of our building's lobby that serves as a daily reminder of the Lord's kindness and protection over FRC. He has sustained us until now, and we trust He will continue to do so.

I am thankful we serve a God who "will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil" (Ecclesiastes 12:14).

The initial indictment against the SPLC tracked $3 million in the amount of donor funds allegedly sent to various violent extremist groups -- the very same ones the SPLC claimed to be working against. Four months later, prosecutors have found $4.1 million.

I believe there's more to come.

Thank you for standing with us -- your support is not taken for granted.

Your contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.