local
Ex-Southern Poverty Law Center official charged in broader criminal case against group
Summary by The Odessa Editorial Desk · Byline on the source page: MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and KIMBERLY CHANDLER, Associated Press , as published by Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar)
· August 12, 2026
· 1 min read
Story provenance No corrections
Summary created by The Odessa Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed Byline on source page MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and KIMBERLY CHANDLER, Associated Press, as published by Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) Original story Read at the source Source published Aug 12, 2026 Indexed here Aug 12, 2026 AI assistance Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text Prepublication human review No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples
Every story comes with a passport. How we work · Corrections log
Key takeaway The Southern Poverty Law Center is a civil rights group based in Alabama.
A former official of the Southern Poverty Law Center has been charged in a broader criminal case against the group. The case is being handled by the Department of Justice. The Southern Poverty Law Center is a civil rights group based in Alabama.
It has been criticized by some conservatives who claim it is politically biased. Further details about the case and the charges are available from the source, including information about the former official, who is described as a political extremism expert and former chief financial officer of the law center.
Why this matters
Local news anchors readers in their community — the people, places, and decisions that shape day-to-day life. The Odessa covers these stories because national outlets often won't.
About this story
As published by Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) . The Odessa surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page .
For the complete original report, visit Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) . Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom .
Category: local ·
Published: August 12, 2026 ·
Source: Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) ·
Reading time: 1 min
Frequently asked about this story
What is this story about? A former official of the Southern Poverty Law Center has been charged in a broader criminal case against the group. The case is being handled by the Department of Justice. The Southern Poverty Law…
When was this published? This article was first published on August 12, 2026 by Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar) and curated for The Odessa readers.
Who reported this story? This story was reported by MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and KIMBERLY CHANDLER, Associated Press at Yourbasin / Big 2 KMID + Fox 24 KPEJ (Nexstar). To learn more about how The Odessa selects and reviews stories, see our editorial standards .
Where can I find related coverage? See more local coverage from The Odessa, or browse our daily briefing and topic hubs .
← Back to all news
More local →
Today’s briefing
Subscribe to newsletter