Rep. Onder Newsletter: Holding the Southern Poverty Law Center Accountable

For far too long, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) has put targets on the backs of conservative organizations by falsely labeling them as "hate groups."

This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing with the SPLC's president to examine the organization's role in distorting civil rights policy and investigate serious and alarming concerns about its conduct. The hearing also explored recently released information that the SPLC allegedly funneled money to extremist organizations, elevated the domestic extremist threat and misled its donors.

It is clear that the SPLC has strayed from its original mission. The organization has used questionable, and frankly illegal, tactics to drive donations and manufacture political relevance. Recently, the Department of Justice announced a federal indictment involving the SPLC, an organization that for years has positioned itself as a moral authority on "hate."

The SPLC's latest Hate Map includes twenty so-called "hate and antigovernment" groups in Missouri. The organization routinely labels mainstream conservative and Christian organizations as hate groups while conspicuously omitting left-wing extremist groups, including those displaying anti-Christian bigotry.

During the hearing, I asked whether certain organizations targeted by the SPLC actually qualify as hate groups. The SPLC's president could not provide a simple yes or no answer because he could not justify those labels.

Democrats rushed to defend the far left SPLC and its mission to manufacture hate hoaxes and target conservatives. At the same time, they attempted to portray the SPLC as an authoritative source for law enforcement despite the fact that the organization has no jurisdiction or authority remotely comparable to that of federal law enforcement agencies.

The American people deserve transparency and accountability. An organization that claims to police extremism should be held to the same standards it demands of others.

To watch my full questioning, click below: 

Our daughters should not be afraid to enter a locker room or a bathroom. They deserve to feel safe in spaces created for them and should not have to justify those concerns with statistics or explanations about the biological differences between males and females.

This week, the Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing to examine how school districts are losing sight of their core mission: educating students. I questioned superintendents from Democrat-led states about the harmful effects of gender ideology, attacks on parental rights, and the misuse of legal systems in our schools.

Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent of Loudoun County Public Schools, proudly stated that biological males are permitted to enter women's locker rooms and bathrooms. While this answer was not surprising, it was deeply disappointing, especially given that LCPS previously faced a case in which a 15-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in a women's bathroom by a biological male student who was allegedly wearing a skirt.

School districts are failing to protect girls. Radical gender ideology and misguided policies have placed female students in dangerous and uncomfortable situations. The hearing coincided with the release of NAEP scores showing declining proficiency in mathematics, a reminder that too many students are falling behind while school leaders focus on everything except the basics.

Schools need to stop playing politics and start helping students succeed. Period. House Republicans will continue working to protect women's spaces, defend parental rights, and ensure that parents have a voice in their children's safety and education.

To watch my full questioning, click below: 

This week's episode of Dr. Bob RX focuses on the Secure America Act, which passed the House on Tuesday.

This legislation provides long-term funding for the Department of Homeland Security, ensuring critical agencies have the resources they need to help keep our nation secure.

To watch my full remarks, click below