The Southern Poverty Law Center has been getting its money from left wing sources since its founding in 1971.
Many of its initial contributors were Communist front organizations.
It has no real interest in "civil rights". It's primary agenda is -- and always has been -- anti-American activity.
“Where do these people get their money from, anyway? They’ve been pumping out ultra-leftist propaganda for decades now.”
Years ago, I had a highly classified job. The group of us got regular visits from the FBI and, on occasion, the NSA (as codes were involved.) I remember a presentation we got once, where the FBI showed us groups that were being funded by the KGB. It was a long, long list of liberal activists including those on university campuses, gay groups, make-pot-legal groups, decriminalize porn and prostitution, local communist individuals and groups, including the Hawaiian Communist Party. (I remember that one in particular, because at the time, I always thought of Hawaii as non-political; probably because I thought it was paradise with a navy base.)
The KGB had also funded liberal politicians. In one column was the group or individual’s name. In the next was their agenda reduced to a few words, “promote gay rights; destabilize family” in the last column were dollar amounts. Some were as little as a thousand dollars. Some were as high as $20,000. (This was in the eighties and that was a lot of money.)
The KGB’s objective was to break down American society. I don’t recall the Southern Poverty Law center, but I do recall the ACLU was on the list. (I recall being shocked as I thought they were protecting the little-guy’s Constitutional rights.) I think the ALCU got one of the higher denominations. Some tiny campus groups got as little as $1,000.
I don’t recall the FBI agent saying, but my impression was if you had a campus group and you got in the news for a protest, you got an anonymous check in the mail.