Six men Charged Over Plot To Kidnap Michigan Governor

[toucana]

Six men have been arrested by FBI agents over an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/10/08/politics/fbi-plot-michigan-governor-gretchen-whitmer/index.html

The alleged plot included plans to overthrow several state governments that the suspects "believe are violating the US Constitution," including the government of Michigan and Whitmer, according to the complaint.

The FBI became aware of the scheme, first reported by The Detroit News, in early 2020 through a social media group of individuals, according to the criminal complaint.

The six individuals charged in the Western District of Michigan with conspiracy to kidnap are Michigan residents Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta, and Delaware resident Barry Croft.

Indictments show that the group reached out to an extreme right-wing militia group and were recorded by an undercover informant discussing plans to storm the Capitol building in Lansing and take hostages including Whitmer.

"The attendees discussed plans for assaulting the Michigan State Capitol, countering law enforcement first responders, and using 'Molotov cocktails' to destroy police vehicles. The attendees also discussed plans for an additional meeting during the first weekend of July when they also would conduct firearms and tactical training," according to the criminal complaint.

Whitmer has been the target of multiple death threats in light of her coronavirus response efforts and decision to issue stay-at-home orders. In April, protesters and militia gathered at the state capitol for a rally, gridlocking the streets to call for Whitmer to lift her stay-at-home order.

At one point in the spring, armed protesters entered the state capitol, where it is legal to openly carry firearms, and demanded an end to Michigan's state of emergency.

Michigan was one of several states targeted by president Trump in April in tweets that apparently urged extremists to “Liberate Michigan”.

[TheVat]

Interesting how the Far Right in the USA, which is often protesting perceived infringements on their personal freedoms is also often willing to deprive others of their freedoms, whether it be medical privacy and reproductive rights, freedom from racial profiling and unwarranted searches and detainments, the right of public assembly (this means you, Trumpists with paintball guns), the freedom to use psychoactive compounds, freedom to vote without obstacles that discriminate against the poor or disabled or homeless, freedom to choose where one lives ("redlining"), and - it seems - freedom to serve as a lawfully elected and popular government officials.

You would think such freedom-loving people would be striving hard to extend such freedoms to everyone. Is it possible that their love of freedom is really just a pose, driven by partisan gamesmanship?

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Eric Trump has canceled a Michigan based campaign event scheduled to take place Tuesday at Huron Valley Guns in New Hudson after one of its former employees was linked to the domestic terror plot against the state’s governor.

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2020/10/12/eric-trump-cancels-event-at-michigan-gun-shop-after-former-employee-is-linked-to-domestic-terror-plot-against-governor/

Just last week 13 men were charged in a domestic terror plot to kidnap Whitmer and overthrow the government.

In February 2020 we had a young man that worked on the range who would show up for work in a LOT of tactical gear. We found that a little odd. We weren’t comfortable with him for a few other reasons and fired him after 3 weeks. He ended up being one of the fringe characters arrested for the Governor Whitmer kidnapping,” wrote Huron Valley Guns in a Facebook post announcing the Trump campaign had changed venues for the event.

Republican and Democratic members of the state Legislature were also targeted in the plot.

The president’s third child and second son was expected to hold the 'Make America Great Again' event at noon tomorrow.