Two conservative websites have been banned from using PayPal after being labeled as "hate sites" by ProPublica, the left-leaning investigative group funded by George Soros.

On Saturday, the Jihad Watch website was ordered by PayPal to stop using its services and displaying its logo after a reporter accused the site of showing hostility toward Muslims. The ban came one day after Lauren Kirchner, a ProPublica contributor, contacted the director of Jihad Watch and informed him that his site would be designated as a "hate site" by ProPublica and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Spencer knew what Kirchner was up to

Robert Spencer, who runs Jihad Watch, was also asked by Kirchner if his site receives donations through PayPal. He responded to Kirchner by accusing her of working on a hit piece intended to compel PayPal to sever its ties with Jihad Watch.

"The intent of your questions and no doubt of your forthcoming article will be to try to compel these sites to cut off any connection with us based on our opposition to jihad terror," Spencer responded. Spencer posted his answers to the reporter's questions on the Jihad Watch site on Friday.

It now appears that Spencer was correct; just a few hours later he received a message from PayPal stating that Jihad Watch was in violation of its User Agreement.

The Daily Caller reports that the site was slapped with a permanent ban, and Spencer was asked to "remove all references to PayPal" from his site.

PayPal targets other conservative sites

Incidentally, Pamela Gellar of the American Freedom Defense Initiative also received an identical notice from PayPal on Monday. In both instances, the notices were signed by an employee named Ronita, who identifies herself as a member of the PayPal Brand Risk Management team.

"PayPal banned me. It's like pre-war Germany. Leftists run amok," tweeted Gellar, who also posted the notice she received.

Last week, a report from CNN Tech revealed that the majority of sites that have been banned from using PayPal are listed as "hate groups" by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which has long been accused of being a vehicle of the left that is used to silence conservative voices.

Both Spencer and Gellar took offense to being labeled as purveyors of hate by the SPLC and ProPublica, with Spencer calling on Twitter users to boycott PayPal.

"The left sees blood in the water after Charlottesville and is moving in for the kill," Spencer told the Daily Caller on Monday.
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