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Dees said he and the SPLC were moving in different directions. Other sources say sexual harassment was an issue in his termination.

Southern Poverty Law Center has enough — fires founder Morris Dees



Southern Poverty Law Center has enough — fires founder Morris DeesThe multimillionaire conman who co-founded the Southern Poverty Law Center has been given the boot by the organization. The Montgomery Advertiser reports:
The Southern Poverty Law Center fired Morris Dees, the nonprofit civil rights organization’s co-founder and former chief litigator.
PLC President Richard Cohen said in a statement Dees’ dismissal over his misconduct was effective on Wednesday, March 13. When pressed for details on what led to the termination, the organization declined to elaborate. “As a civil rights organization, the SPLC is committed to ensuring that the conduct of our staff reflects the mission of the organization and the values we hope to instill in the world,” Cohen said in the emailed statement. “When one of our own fails to meet those standards, no matter his or her role in the organization, we take it seriously and must take appropriate action.” Dees, 82, co-founded the Montgomery-based organization in 1971. “It was not my decision, what they did,” Dees said when reached by phone. “I wish the center the absolute best. Whatever reasons they had of theirs, I don’t know.” On Thursday, he said he hadn’t tried a case in at least a decade and hadn’t recently been involved in the day-to-day operations of the SPLC.

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Dees’ termination is one of several steps taken by the organization this week, Cohen said. “Today we announced a number of immediate, concrete next steps we’re taking, including bringing in an outside organization to conduct a comprehensive assessment of our internal climate and workplace practices, to ensure that our talented staff is working in the environment that they deserve — one in which all voices are heard and all staff members are respected,” Cohen said.
What finished Dees off? Sexual harassment? Misappropriating funds? Racism? Or is it some weird neo-Marxist intersectionality thing? Who knows. This could be fun. Meanwhile, Josh Moon of the Alabama Political Report is tweeting about the story. Dees said he and the SPLC were moving in different directions. Other sources say sexual harassment was an issue in his termination. Here are Moon’s tweets:

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Yup. Fun. (2015 photo of Morris Dees, above, by Tim Pierce)



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Matthew Vadum -- Bio and Archives

Matthew Vadum,  matthewvadum.blogspot.com, is an investigative reporter.

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