Civil rights group dismisses prominent advocate

The Southern Poverty Law Center has fired its co-founder and chief trial lawyer, Morris Dees, after nearly a half-century during which he helped build the organization into a fearsome powerhouse that focused on hate crimes and with an endowment that approached half a billion dollars.

The group’s president, Richard Cohen, did not give a specific reason for the dismissal of Dees, 82, on Wednesday. But Cohen said in a statement that as a civil-rights group, the SPLC was “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.”

“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,” Cohen said.

Cohen’s statement suggested that Dees’ firing was linked to workplace conduct. He said the center, which is based in Montgomery, Ala., had requested “a comprehensive assessment of our internal climate and workplace practices” in a bid to ensure that the organization was a place where “all voices are heard and all staff members are respected.”

In an interview Thursday, Dees said he had reviewed the SPLC’s statement but noted that it did not include any specific allegations against him.

“All I can say is it was not my decision,” said Dees, who added that he had limited involvement with the organization in recent years.

Dees and the SPLC have been credited with undermining the influence of the Klan and other extremist-affiliated groups.

Adeel Hassan, Karen Zraick and Alan Blinder are New York Times writers.