D.E.I. Daily · Victory Report
SPLC's Hate Group Label Authority
Has Been Curtailed
After a landmark defamation settlement with Coral Ridge Ministries and sustained legal pressure, the SPLC's ability to weaponize its "hate group" label has been significantly curtailed. The mechanism by which a single unaccountable nonprofit could blacklist mainstream conservative organizations — costing them banking access, corporate partnerships, and media legitimacy — has been substantially defanged.
1Landmark Settlement
50+Years of Label Abuse
$3.5MSettlement Amount
The settlement in Coral Ridge Ministries v. Amazon and SPLC established that falsely designating an organization as a hate group can constitute actionable defamation — a precedent that sent shockwaves through the SPLC's operating model.
Coral Ridge Ministries v. SPLC · 2024
How It Happened
2019Coral Ridge Ministries files defamation suit after SPLC designates them a hate group, causing Amazon to remove them from the AmazonSmile program.
2023Federal courts allow key claims to proceed, establishing that SPLC's designations can be subject to defamation liability.
2024Case settles — SPLC pays $3.5M and corporations begin quietly distancing from SPLC designations as legal exposure grows.