Full Breakdown
DOJ Investigations of E. Jean Carroll and SPLC Prompt Vindictive-Prosecution Claims
5/29/2026, 5:21:12 AM
Core DOJ Actions
The Department of Justice opened a criminal perjury probe of writer E. Jean Carroll, examining whether she lied in testimony linked to her civil suits against former President Donald Trump. Simultaneously, a Montgomery grand jury issued an 11-count indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for wire fraud, money-laundering and false bank statements tied to $3 million transferred to informants from 2014-2023.
Context of Alleged Retribution
Critics say both actions are part of a “top-down, retributive campaign” by the Trump administration, citing statements by President Trump and DOJ officials that target political opponents. The Carroll probe follows a 2022 civil judgment that found Trump liable for sexual abuse and defamation, awarding Carroll $5 million and later $83.3 million.
Principal Actors
E. Jean Carroll, Donald Trump, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche, FBI Director Kash Patel, former SDNY prosecutor Kristy Greenberg, and the SPLC are the central parties.
Key Numbers
The indictment alleges $3 million in donor funds were funneled to informants, averaging $333,000 per year. It contains 11 counts of wire fraud and money-laundering. Carroll’s civil awards total $88.3 million ($5 million for abuse, $83.3 million for defamation).
Official Positions
The DOJ has not released detailed evidence for either case. The SPLC seeks dismissal and unsealing of grand-jury transcripts, alleging a due-process violation. Carroll’s lawyer, Roberta Kaplan, declined comment.
Opposition & Critique
Former prosecutor Kristy Greenberg called the Carroll perjury case “absurd” and “not a legitimate perjury case.” Reporter Ken Dilanian called the investigations “the latest example of Donald Trump’s Justice Department retribution campaign.” The SPLC filing called the charges “a foregone conclusion based on prosecutorial vindictiveness.”
Conflicting Evidence
Greenberg cites a 2022 judge’s finding that Carroll’s statements were immaterial, contradicting the DOJ’s decision to present them to a grand jury. The SPLC asserts the indictment rests on “false public statements of fact by Justice Department officials,” a claim the DOJ has not refuted.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Look, frankly, we have to acknowledge that this is the latest example of Donald Trump’s Justice Department retribution campaign; criminal investigations that seem to be very marginal, very narrow, aimed at essentially his political enemies.” — Ken Dilanian, reporter
- “This is the very definition of a vindictive prosecution,” — SPLC filing
- “The record in this case—false public statements of fact by Justice Department officials and facial flaws in the charges—would support the Court here doing the same review,” — SPLC filing
- “The SPLC is manufacturing racism to justify its existence,” — Todd Blanche, Acting Attorney General
What’s Next
The SPLC’s motion seeks dismissal and unsealing of grand-jury records; a court will decide whether the indictment violates due process. The Carroll perjury probe remains open, with no public filing of charges. Both matters are expected to move to pre-trial hearings where judges will evaluate claims of selective prosecution and evidentiary sufficiency.
