Attorney General Bonta Raises Concerns Over Donor-Advised Fund Restrictions Affecting Southern Poverty Law Center

OAKLAND — California Attorney General Rob Bonta, as part of a coalition of 16 attorneys general, urged several large donor-advised fund sponsors to carefully evaluate their decision to stop payments to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) following a heavily criticized indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). The indictment follows President Trump’s September 2025 directive to the DOJ to investigate and potentially prosecute organizations and entities, including nonprofits and charities, that support or fund causes and activities contrary to the Trump Administration's political agenda — in blatant violation of charities’ First Amendment rights to free speech and free association. In the letter, the coalition warns the institutions of the harm that could result from allowing the Trump Administration’s selective political targeting of nonprofits that would undermine donor intent and advance a broader effort to weaponize government power against nonprofit organizations. 

“Charities are pillars of our communities, not political targets,” said Attorney General Bonta. “The Trump Administration’s political bullying tactics have no place in dictating charitable giving. I’m urging these financial institutions and donor-advised funds to stand tall and not bend the knee. The First Amendment rights of charities and donors depend on it.” 

SPLC has a long history as a prominent civil rights nonprofit — both in California and across the country — working to combat hate groups and defend marginalized communities. Despite that, the DOJ indicted the SPLC on April 21, 2026, continuing a broader pattern of targeting nonprofits and charitable organizations that oppose the administration’s ideologies. Following the DOJ’s indictment, the Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund, the Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program, and Donor Advised Charitable Giving, Inc. all either restricted or halted payments to the SPLC.

In their letter, the attorneys general call these financial institutions’ attention to the Trump Administration’s well-documented history of targeting nonprofits and charitable organizations that President Trump feels oppose his political agenda. The letter also notes recent whistleblower reports that the DOJ pressured prosecutors to obtain speedy indictments against SPLC, despite prosecutors’ misgivings. The coalition urges fund sponsors to carefully consider whether their actions would undermine donor intent and help the Trump Administration weaponize government power against nonprofit organizations simply for exercising their protected First Amendment rights. Using politically motivated prosecutions as an excuse to suppress and dismantle voices of opposition poses a great threat to nonprofits and civil rights everywhere.

In sending this letter, Attorney General Bonta joins the attorneys general of Minnesota, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai'i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New York, Oregon, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.