House Oversight Committee Chair Jay DeBoyer today issued the following statement regarding a Department of Justice indictment of the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson served on the group’s Board of Directors from 2014-18, including during the Charlottesville, Va. rally in 2017. The indictment alleges the Southern Poverty Law Center funded groups attending the event, which turned violent:

“Jocelyn Benson publicly denounced what took place in Charlottesville, but she was on SPLC’s Board of Directors at the time, and information uncovered in this indictment now points to the group funneling money to extremists who stoked division, intimidation, and terror at the rally.

“The circumstances surrounding these events are deeply troubling and naturally urge a few questions: Did Jocelyn Benson know there was potential for events like these to get out of hand? How involved was she if SPLC’s money was directed to these groups?

“The people of Michigan deserve more information on one of their top elected officials’ work within this organization given the organization’s “work” that’s been exposed. This would be the baseline expectation for any statewide elected official regardless of party affiliation.”