SPLC asks judge to weigh sanctions against DOJ for sending out unsigned indictment copy

The Southern Poverty Law Center asked a federal judge on Wednesday to consider sanctioning federal prosecutors, after the Justice Department shared an unsigned and unstamped copy of a superseding indictment against the nonprofit with members of the media. On Tuesday, the Justice Department announced it had obtained a superseding indictment against the SPLC that contained some new allegations about how it allegedly used donations to infiltrate hate groups, claiming the money helped buy materials for cross burnings and for Ku Klux Klan robes and hats. The new indictment does not name any additional defendants. It still contains 11 counts of wire fraud, bank fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering, the same charges that were outlined in the original April indictment accusing the SPLC of paying informants in extremist groups without disclosing the practice to donors or banks. The SPLC's attorneys alleged in court filings Wednesday that the unofficial copy of the superseding indictment was improperly shared with journalists before it was publicly docketed, in violation of federal grand jury secrecy rules. They asked the judge to order the Justice Department to provide an explanation for its conduct and explain why prosecutors on the case should not face sanctions. …