Defense attorneys alleged Monday that Charlie Kirk’s criticism of the Southern Poverty Law Center, along with his murder, were key moments inspiring the Trump administration to prosecute the leftist group.
Kirk’s September 2025 shooting death in Utah prompted the government to revisit a letter from Kirk and other right-wing figures that called the SPLC a “progressive hit operation,” according to a filing from codefendant Heidi Beirich, a former SPLC financial officer. The filing says Kirk’s slaying caused a train of events leading the FBI to investigate the SPLC and speak to a group that co-signed Kirk’s letter.
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