Barry Moore ‘proud to be on’ SPLC ‘Hatewatch’ list as group faces fiery hearings
“If flying a flag outside of my office encouraging prayer gets me on the SPLC target list, it’s a list I’m proud to be on!”
Mason Reed 
U.S. Rep. Barry Moore turned up the heat on the Southern Poverty Law Center during a fiery Capitol Hill hearing on Tuesday, joining fellow Republican lawmakers to grill the organization's leadership.
The tense exchange centered on the Montgomery-based nonprofit’s ongoing legal battles. The SPLC faces criminal charges, with prosecutors alleging the group hid payments made to informants within extremist organizations.
Grilling the SPLC leadership
During the session, Moore directly questioned Bryan Fair, the interim CEO of the SPLC, regarding the organization's transparency and cooperation with the Alabama attorney general’s office.
“What do you think the SPLC is withholding from the attorney general?” Moore asked. “It seems like they’ve slow walked the information, at least that’s what I’ve been told.”
Fair opted not to address specific claims, stating that the charges would be handled by the organization's attorneys in court. When pressed by Rep. Harriet Hageman about the group's financial practices, Fair maintained, “We don’t fund the KKK. We don’t fund hate groups.”
Caught in the 'Hatewatch' crosshairs
Moore used the platform to call out the SPLC for its history of labeling political figures. The congressman noted that he is one of 11 representatives currently included in the group’s Hatewatch database.
According to Moore, the classification stems from his decision to display an “Appeal to Heaven” flag outside his office—a move the SPLC highlighted in its database throughout 2025.
“I think the reason I’m on the list... is because we simply put a flag in front of our office that encouraged people to pray for this nation,” Moore said. In a post on X, he doubled down on his stance: “If flying a flag outside of my office encouraging prayer gets me on the SPLC target list, it’s a list I’m proud to be on!”
Ongoing criminal proceedings
The legal pressure on the SPLC remains high. Fair pleaded not guilty last month in federal court to a variety of charges, including wire fraud, money laundering, and making false statements.
Federal investigators allege the SPLC utilized shell companies to fund its infiltration efforts while simultaneously concealing the nature of its undercover operations from its own donors.
