DOJ Probes Southern Poverty Law Center Over Paid Informants Program

The Justice Department is investigating the Southern Poverty Law Center over its use of paid informants in monitoring extremist groups. The probe aims to determine whether federal laws or policies were violated and whether the practice affected the integrity of investigations. The SPLC has used undercover reporting and paid sources in its work, and the inquiry raises questions about nonprofit investigative methods and accountability.

The report was posted on CBS News' Facebook page and spurred discussion online about ethics, public-safety tradeoffs and the proper limits of watchdog research. Legal experts say a finding of violations could lead to policy changes, affect grants or partnerships, and reshape how civil-rights groups gather intelligence.