Plan to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gretchen Whitmer , Michigan governor

On October 8, 2020, gave the FBI the arrest of 13 people known who have been accused of the kidnapping of the governor of Michigan , Gretchen Whitmer , and other terrorist attacks against the state government of Michigan have planned. Those arrested were members of the Wolverine Watchmen paramilitary organization , two of whom founded this militia . Six people arrested were tried in federal court, and the other seven were tried in Michigan state court. A week later, another person was arrested and charged in a Michigan court.

background

Assessments of the authorities on right-wing radical militias

Ahead of the 2020 election in the United States , law enforcement officials , members of the US Congress and observers from extremist groups warned of the growing threat from militia and right-wing groups. The Anti-Defamation League named Michigan one of the states where the modern militia movement was founded and several militias were continuously active. Jon Lewis, a scientist at George Washington University in Washington DC, called the Wolverine Watchmen group "too small to appear on the radar". A few months earlier, on April 30, 2020, a crowd with armed militia members stormed parliament in Lansing.

Plans for the abduction of Gretchen Whitmer were developed from June to September 2020. In the week leading up to the suspect's arrest, there were at least three other arrests of members of the Boogaloo movement , a loose association of right-wing militias whose supporters are planning or want to initiate a second American Civil War . The Wolverine Watchmen saw themselves as part of this movement.

The Michigan COVID-19 Pandemic and State Protective Measures

Governor Whitmer, the target of the attack, raised her political profile in the previous months with her early and vigorous measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan, including a lockdown, which were largely welcomed. She was attacked by right-wing groups for this, and her actions led to protests in April and May, during which armed groups stormed the Michigan Capitol . The then President Donald Trump supported the protests by ridiculing Whitmer as "that Michigan woman" and tweeted on April 17th : "LIBERATE MICHIGAN"! The FBI later announced that planning for the act began before Trump's tweet.

On October 2, 2020, the Michigan Supreme Court passed two decisions on COVID measures: a 4: 3 decision declaring a 1945 law that allowed Whitmer to order the measures unconstitutional, and a unanimous judgment that a The 1976 Act did not give Whitmer the power to take measures without the consent of Parliament. This created uncertainty about the implementation of the measures and prompted the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services and the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration to circumvent the judgments by ordering similar measures, even after the kidnapping attempt was announced.

The suspects

The suspects belonged to a paramilitary organization called Wolverine Watchmen . Wolverine ( glutton ) has been a common nickname for Michigans since the 19th century. The group was formed by suspects Pete Musico and Joseph Morrison; Musico is mistaken for the “commander” of the group. NBC research on social media found links between the ideologies of the suspects and those of the boogaloo movement . The group has been recruiting members via Facebook since November 2019, until Facebook deleted all Boogaloo-related material in June 2020.

The federal charges of kidnapping conspiracy were Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Barry Croft, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta. Five of them lived in Michigan, the sixth, Croft, in Delaware . Adam Fox and Barry Croft were charged as ringleaders . The charges included crimes against the state, procurement of materials for terrorist attacks, crimes involving firearms and membership of a criminal organization ; The founders of the group, Musico and Morrison, along with Shawn Fix, Eric Molitor, Michael Null, William Null, and Paul Bellar were indicted. At least four of the thirteen suspects had previously participated in rallies in front of the Michigan State Capitol . On October 15, a fourteenth suspect, Brian Higgins, of Wisconsin , was charged by a state court for procuring materials for terrorist attacks.

Biographical sketches and motifs

  • Adam Fox , the suspected mastermind , was born in 1983 with the name Adam Wagoner, but changed it to his mother's maiden name in 2014. He lived in the basement of his previous employer, a workshop in Grand Rapids . He was allowed to live there because the owner of the workshop took pity on him, because he was homeless and owned dogs. The basement was also used for group meetings. In June, he posted a YouTube video citing Whitmer's COVID measures as a reason for the abduction plan. According to his boss, he had anti-police and anti-government views, supported the boogaloo movement, and was concerned that the US would become a communist country and that Democratic leaders would take his guns away from him. Fox was previously a member of another militia, the Michigan Home Guard, but was disfellowshipped for "indecision" and threats against other members on social media.
  • Ty Garbin was born in 1995 and raised in Wyandotte, Michigan , but was living in a trailer park in Livingston County when he was arrested . His father is a US Army veteran . He is a trained aircraft mechanic and most recently worked for SkyWest Airlines . He met Fox at a Second Amendment rally in Lansing . Garbin is charged with scouting out the governor's vacation home, planning to blow up a bridge to stop the police and paint a boat for “night fishing” as part of the abduction on the lake. He was able to make firearms himself. His lawyer pointed out that he had no previous convictions .
  • Barry Croft frequently posted violent content on his social media accounts. The investigating FBI Special Agent Richard Trask called Croft the national leader of the " Three Percenters ", a US-wide militant militia. Crofts accounts showed him with a cocked hat and a sweatshirt the "Three Perecenters". He supported the criticism of the presumption that the 2016 presidential election was influenced by Russia, rejected the immigration policy of the US and considered the investigation against President Donald Trump to be an "insurrection". However, he included Trump in a complaint-filled list of politicians he wanted to hang and which he posted on Facebook in June. When he was arrested, he was living in Bear, Delaware . Croft was arrested repeatedly for assault and break-in from 1994 to 1996. In 1997 he was convicted of carrying a gun in a crime and spent three years in prison. In April 2019, he was pardoned by the Governor of Delaware, John Carney . In recorded conversations between the conspirators, he invoked that God had promised him forgiveness for a murder .
  • Kaleb Franks , born in 1994, is charged with paying $ 4,000 for equipment used to carry out the crime, including a helmet and night vision devices. He also brought a rifle with a silencer to the exercises. According to his LinkedIn profile, he studied clinical psychology at Washtenaw Community College and worked as a rehab worker at an addiction treatment center in Waterford . He was previously addicted to heroin himself , but has been cured since 2013, according to his lawyer. In 2011 he was convicted of possession of cocaine and in 2013 of trespassing. He spent nine months in prison and two years on parole .
  • Brandon Caserta , born in 1988, appeared in a Boogaloo Hawaiian shirt in a TikTok video and praised Kyle Rittenhouse, a 17-year-old teenager who fatally wounded two participants with gunshots during the protests in Kenosha . Caserta spread misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic and supported the QAnon conspiracy theory , but also criticized President Trump and called him a tyrant. He radicalized after the lockdown imposed by Governor Whitmer. On his social media accounts, he initially posted posts about comedy and podcasts, as well as selfies, but after the lockdown he began liking posts with conspiracy theories about Bill Gates and pictures of tied police officers .
  • Pete Musico , 42 years old, was active on YouTube, where he posted videos against taxes, gun laws and the so-called "deep state" in the USA. In a video posted in 2019 entitled "Gretchen Whitmer Interview," he criticized their policies towards car owners and announced that he would interview them in a later video. Musico was also active on Gab , where he published the claim that there was a campaign to kill the whites in South Africa . He followed the accounts of Proud Boys member Joe Biggs and InfoWars journalist Owen Shroyer. On Twitter , he expressed sympathy for Trump, conspiracy theories about Bill and Hillary Clinton and thiomersal in vaccinations. His lawyer says he was expelled from the Wolverine Watchmen for being too soft and not violent.
  • Shawn Fix , 38 years old, hosted several Wolverine Watchmen meetings to plan the abduction at his Belleville home . In the garden of the house were advertisements for Donald Trump's 2020 election campaign and a Gadsden flag . He worked as a truck driver and committed more than a dozen traffic offenses from 2007 to 2018. In 2012, he was charged with aggravated assault, but the victim dropped the charge in 2013.
  • Eric Molitor , 36 years old, posted support for the Boogaloo movement on his Facebook account. He spoke favorably of Kyle Rittenhouse and for the right to bear arms in demonstrations and hostility to the state. He worked for a company that made equipment for the military and first responders . In January 2020, he made the proposal to ban gun controls in Wexford County , which the county adopted the next month.
  • Michael and William Null , 38-year-old twin brothers, helped spy on Whitmer's vacation home. They were members of another militia, the Michigan Liberty Militia. On April 30, they were photographed outside the Michigan State Capitol at a protest by Michigan United for Liberty, a right-wing protest group against Whitmer's COVID-19 lockdown. William also took part in other anti-lockdown rallies in May, as well as Black Lives Matter demonstrations in Grand Rapids and Flint . This information was provided by Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, but he also said William was dissatisfied with the move. William was also spotted in February 2017 at a protest against Trump's Executive Order 13769 , hosted by a civil rights group, in Flint . He and other members of the Michigan Liberty Militia were counter-demonstrators in camouflaged military clothing, with firearms and Gadsden flags. He threatened participants in the rally on Facebook.
  • Paul Bellar , 21 years old, who was arrested in Columbia, South Carolina , where he had moved after being evicted from Milford, Michigan , was responsible for organizing training for the Wolverine Watchmen . This included the use of firearms, medical treatment and other things. Bellar's former neighbor in Milford said he lost his job because of the pandemic, was a very angry person and threatened her with a gun in an argument. According to his father, he trained at Fort Jackson for a year for the US Army before he was released with post-traumatic stress disorder .
  • Brian Higgins lived in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin , where he was arrested on October 15th. He is accused of having acquired material for spying on Whitmer's house.

Course of events

The investigation begins

The FBI became aware of discussions on social media in early 2020 aimed at enforcing the violent overthrow of governments and law enforcement agencies. During the initial investigation into social media chats, it came across Barry Croft and Adam Fox. In March 2020, officers from an undisclosed Michigan police station reported to the FBI that a militia was searching for the addresses of police officers. The FBI heard then a militia member who is on a working as an undercover agent took in after the FBI told him his concern about possible murder of police officers. On May 8, the FBI obtained permission to monitor Crofts' Facebook account. Investigators found messages for the planning of potential acts of violence, including on May 3, a posting about a man who "the first victim to be" and should be "imprisoned", this was according to the FBI, the governor of South Carolina , Henry McMaster .

As a result, according to an indictment, the FBI began smuggling informants into the group in June, both online and in person. From then on, the FBI collected photos, videos, phone calls and encrypted messages from the suspects and saved them as evidence on a USB stick . The content, consisting of "several hundred hours of secret audio recordings and more than 13,000 pages of encrypted text messages", was approved by the competent federal court on October 16. On March 30, one of the founders, Pete Musico, commented on Gretchen Whitmer's capture and other statements encouraging the use of violence.

According to the investigation, the group's attempts to obtain Whitmer's home address go back to April 19. On April 30, all group members took part in an armed march in front of the Michigan State Capitol , allowing authorities to begin surveillance. The kidnapping was decided on June 6th at a meeting of about a dozen people in Dublin, Ohio , a northwestern suburb of Columbus . A confidential source reported that the group wanted to try to build a new, confident society in accordance with the US Bill of Rights . Participants discussed peaceful and violent actions to achieve this goal, with discussions revolving around how governments are violating the United States Constitution , how "tyrants" should be killed, and resolving that those in attendance should recruit friends and neighbors.

recruitment

A house in Grand Rapids where the kidnapping planners met

After the meeting in Ohio, Adam Fox - already monitored by the FBI - looked for supporters for the kidnapping plan. On June 14th, the militia held a military training session. That day, Fox made a phone call to a confidential source, reported on the Ohio meeting, and ordered "200 men" to attack the Michigan Capitol, hold Whitmer and others hostage , and "try" the charges of "treason" against the governor. During the call, Fox repeatedly stressed that the operation should take place before the 2020 presidential election .

During a rally for the right to carry arms in the United States in front of the Michigan Capitol on June 18, according to a confidential source, Fox attempted to convince various militia leaders to assault the State Capitol together. On June 20, Fox invited several followers, including a confidential source, to his work place in Grand Rapids. According to the source, Fox collected the cell phones to prevent clandestine recordings and sent participants through a trapdoor in the floor, but the source had a recording device that the other participants were unaware of. The footage sent to the FBI contained discussions of an attack on the State Capitol, the defense against possible counter-attacks, and the use of Molotov cocktails to destroy police cars. A new group meeting for exercises and further planning was arranged for the first weekend in July.

In a June 25 Facebook video recorded by the FBI, Fox criticized the judiciary, the Michigan government and the state gymnasium shutdown order, called Whitmer a “tyrannical bitch ” and said, “Guys, we have to do something to do. People, connect with me through our other system, tell me your ideas about what you want to do ”.

Training and planning

First attack plan

The Michigan State Capitol , where the group initially planned a stop

According to the FBI, the first training session took place on June 28 in Munith, Michigan on the premises of a militia member with Fox, his girlfriend, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Caserta, and an undercover agent attending the training. Participants were advised to quit training if they felt uncomfortable at the thought of attacking the state and taking hostages, according to the report. According to Musico's defender, Fox made remarks about storming the Capitol during this training session, but the other participants did not support him and Musico was concerned about the tactical flexibility required, saying, "It's a fishbowl". According to court documents released on November 13, there were plans to kill hostages in addition to storming the Capitol and televising the images for a week, or to lock the attendees in the building during a session of Parliament and then in Set fire so no one survives the fire.

Musico's lawyer said there was no further activity from that day until October 1 over an altercation between Fox and Musico after the latter left the group. The FBI source said that attendees including Croft and Garbin met for weapons training July 10-12 in Cambria, Wisconsin , and a militia member attempted to set up a booby trap on July 11th, but it didn't work . Franks also brought a rifle with a silencer and shot from it.

At a second meeting in Ohio on July 18, tapes from a source documented discussions of attacks on Michigan police stations. Garbin rejected plans to attack the State Capitol and instead suggested attacking Whitmer's vacation home in Elk Rapids . On a July 14 phone call recorded by a source, Fox said he scouted the governor's office and learned Whitmer wasn't there and said, "Honestly, now [...] I want to make the world glow, mate." I don't make goddamn kids games. I just want to make everything glow. I don't fucking care anymore, I'm so fed up with it. That's what we're going to have to do to get it back, we're going to have to destroy everything. We're gonna throw it all over the place, buddy. We're bloody great conquerors, man, we're going to conquer any bloody thing. ”In a conversation on July 26th, he said,“ Maybe we should bake a bunch of cupcakes and send them out, ”which the FBI told the informant as a call for a major bombing campaign understanding.

Plans for Whitmer's vacation home

The Michigan governor's summer residence on Mackinac Island , a possible kidnapping location

On July 27, Fox invited attendees to his Grand Rapids residence, where the source said discussions were taking place of the kidnapping of Whitmer arriving or leaving their own vacation home or official summer residence on Mackinac Island . According to the FBI tapping, Fox said, “Go ahead, man. Grab the damn governor. Just grab the bitch . Because now we're going to do it, buddy [...] it's over. ”In the recording, Fox also suggested hiring a broker to find Whitmer's exact address, gather information about the area, and get people with IT skills and experience with To recruit demolitions .

On August 9, the participants met for the second time in Munith, after which they communicated via chats moderated by an FBI representative . During these discussions, Fox suggested investigating the governor's residence in Lansing and destroying Whitmer's boat. Harris said in a chat: “Let a person go to their house. Have her knock on the door and if she opens, take her prisoner, damn it. I mean, damn it [...] grab her when she goes in, pretend you're a passerby and then put a cap over her head ”. During further chats on August 18, the participants concentrated on finding out the address of their holiday home and planning escape routes by boat.

The observation begins

On August 23, attendees met at Harris' home in Lake Orion , where a discussion about observing the vacation home was taped and Franks said he had paid nearly $ 4,000 for night vision devices and a helmet. There is also a recording of a secret observation of the holiday home on August 29th, during which Fox took photos and discussed the time required by the police in the region. Fox was heard saying, "We're not letting them burn our damn state down. It doesn't matter if we're only 20 or 30 people, buddy, we'll go out there and use deadly force. ”On August 30, screenshots of the chat show Garbin thinking about destroying a bridge near the vacation home. to stop the police.

At the recommendation of the Michigan police and technology department, a $ 1.1 million barrier and electric fence was built around the governor's seat in Lansing and completed on September 4th, according to spokeswoman Tiffany Brown, aiming at improved security in the area and other security improvements. Regarding the measures, the Detroit News newspaper wrote: "Whitmer, a Democrat who was elected for the first time in 2018, was threatened during demonstrations against her COVID-19 lockdown orders in front of the State Capitol," the newspaper also cited other threats against Whitmer.

On a September 12-13 trip in three cars from a training session in Luther to Whitmer's vacation home, which was attended by an FBI informant, Croft suggested that the group attempt to kidnap Whitmer that night, yes the plan was rejected. According to the FBI, Croft and Fox, in the first car, were planning to detonate a bomb on a bridge on US Highway 31 in Elk Rapids and took photos of the underside of the bridge to decide where an explosive device could be placed most cheaply . Then the group drove to a boat dock on the other bank of the lake and waited for a second vehicle to scout the place. The job of the third vehicle, in which an FBI agent was also sitting, was to watch out for possible pursuers and suspicious activity in the area. On the way back to Garbin's property, the group discussed abandoning the abduction plan altogether and instead completely destroying the vacation home.

The planning is completed

In a discussion taped on Garbins property on Sept. 13, Fox said a kidnapping was being planned. An undercover agent told Fox that it would cost about $ 4,000 to purchase explosives to destroy the bridge leading to the lake. The group opted for one final workout in October, though Fox pushed for an earlier date a day later. On October 2, Fox confided to an undercover source that he had bought an 800,000 volt taser for the kidnapping . In the same month he contacted Musico, who advocated non-violent action. Fox, Garbin, Harris, and Franks were scheduled to meet with an undercover FBI agent on October 7th to purchase explosives. Caserta didn't show up because he had to work, and Croft returned to Delaware before the meeting.

Arrests

All the members of the group involved were arrested on the night of October 7th, and charges were written against them the next day. Arrest warrants have been issued and arrests have been made across Michigan. The arrests were part of a joint plan by state and federal authorities that came after evidence emerged that the kidnapping was planned before the November presidential election. The arrests were coordinated by at least seven FBI offices and the J. Edgar Hoover Building Operations Center in Washington, DC . A week later, a fourteenth suspect was arrested and charged by a state court.

Legal consequences

Federal level

United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan indictment regarding the abduction plan

Six people: Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Barry Croft, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, and Brandon Caserta were indicted in the United States District Court for the Western District of Michigan on conspiracy to kidnap. If convicted, they face life imprisonment. A federal judge said there was sufficient evidence on five defendants to be charged, and four of them were ruled out on bail .

During an October 13 hearing , an FBI investigator testified that the conspirators had considered putting Whitmer out in a boat on Lake Michigan and rendering the engine unusable. He also testified that the group in an earlier phase of planning the governor of Virginia , Ralph Northam had ordered 19 pandemic COVID-which also strict lockdown measures against those who wanted to kidnap. The FBI then notified Northam's security forces of the threat.

On October 26, FBI investigators announced they had found components of explosive weapons and were considering expanding the indictment to the federal level after expert analysis of the findings by experts on terrorism . An arrest warrant announced on October 28 announced that some defendants had also considered kidnapping South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster at the start of planning . The warrant also referred to a Facebook list of politicians Croft posted in late June that Croft wanted to hang . The list included the names of McMasters, President Trump, former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton , Hillary Clinton , Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez , and other Democratic and Republican politicians, as well as well-known Liberals, Muslims and "all anti-Americans ."

On October 30, Franks' attorney asked a judge to reconsider his arrest on the grounds that Franks was diabetic and feared that he would contract COVID-19 in prison .

On December 16, all six federally accused were indicted by a grand jury .

On January 1, 2021, Croft, who was incarcerated in a federal prison in Philadelphia , asked to be released for his court hearings because his case was making slow progress and the prisoner transports were regularly delayed. Law enforcement officials opposed his release; because Croft is a violent extremist, his dismissal is unreasonable.

On January 15, 2021, a federal judge set the trial of all six defendants to be March 23.

On January 27, Garbin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer. As part of a plea bargaining , he undertook to testify against the other defendants, whereupon the prosecution dropped the other charges against him. His trial is scheduled for July 8th.

National level

Michigan attorney general Dana Nessel indicted seven other men: Pete Musico, Joseph Morrison, Shawn Fix, Eric Molitor, Michael Null, William Null, and Paul Bellar for crimes that are prosecuted at the state level, including sourcing materials for terrorist attacks, Violating gun laws and membership in a gang . Two defendants were given bail of $ 10 million each and the date for the first hearings was October 21. Musico's bail was later lowered to $ 100,000 after his attorney convinced the judge that his part in the scheme was overstated.

On October 20, Bellar was charged with state crimes and extradited from his home state of South Carolina for trial.

Fix was released on November 10 on bail of $ 250,000. Three days later, Morrison, Musico, and Bellar's bail was lowered. Bellar was released on bail of $ 75,000 on November 13th.

On October 15, Dana Nessel charged the Wisconsin with material support for a terrorist attack, which, if convicted, carries a 20-year prison term. On October 19, Higgins was released on bail and subject to conditions including not contacting the other 13 defendants. On November 18, Higgins' attorney announced he would take legal action against his extradition from Wisconsin to Michigan. The reason he gave was that the extradition request had been signed by Governor Whitmer, the target of the attack, so there was a conflict of interest. On December 15, a judge in Columbia County, Wisconsin ruled that there was sufficient evidence for an extradition. The extradition was delayed again due to a final objection from the lawyer.

Twins Michael and William Null were released on bail on December 4th.

On December 18, a Jackson County judge dismissed a reduction in bail for Morrison on the grounds that he was still a threat to the public.

Eric Molitor was released on bail on January 14th.

Reactions

Governor Whitmer

Whitmer went public on a livestream following the thwarting of the abduction plan and the disclosure by the FBI . She thanked the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation, called the perpetrators "sick and depraved " people and accused President Trump of his refusal to condemn right-wing groups and his actions during the COVID-19 pandemic . In a later tweet, Whitmer urged the perpetrators to be named domestic terrorists rather than members of a militia . In an interview with the CBS telecast Face the Nation , she said that their security continues to be threatened and that extremists like the Wolverine Watchmen in rhetoric posed by Republican politicians from the White House down to the House of Representatives of the State of Michigan, encouragement and support would find. In an October 27 article in The Atlantic magazine , she again accused Trump of dividing the nation with his rhetoric.

Other opinions from politics

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel called the abduction plan "one of the greatest cases in recent history" and "unprecedented." Mike Shirkey , a senator in the state of Michigan, the speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Lee Chatfield and the governor of Ohio , Mike DeWine , condemned the crime as well. Chatfield later criticized Whitmer for failing to inform MPs of the kidnappers' plan to storm the State Capitol. The governor of Delaware , John Carney , who pardoned one of the suspects in 2019, called the allegations "troubling" and said this is another sign of the "growing threat to our policy by radicalism and violence." Ralph Northam , the governor of Virginia, who was also cited as a possible target by the planners of the kidnapping, said he declined to comment on the details of the crime but stressed he and his family felt they were under the protection of Virginia State Police safe.

Michigan State Democratic MPs renewed their call for a firearms ban in the Michigan State Capitol building after the abduction plan became public. The first attempt to enshrine this in law after demonstrators armed with firearms stormed the building in April failed in September. After the storming of the Capitol in Washington , on January 11, 2021, the open carrying of firearms was banned in the State Capitol building, but it is still permitted on the rest of the State Capitol grounds. This also applies to the concealed carrying of a firearm. He does not go far enough for critics of the decision, they demand a ban on all firearms in the State Capitol.

When the members of the Electoral College from Michigan gathered in its state capitol on December 14 , law enforcement officers locked the building and closed the offices of the MPs for "serious threats of violence." Only the members of the Electoral College were allowed into the building. On the morning of the day, Rep. Gary Eisen said it was like a hail mary action to prevent the electoral college from voting. When asked if he could guarantee that this would be a safe day in Lansing and that no one would be injured, he replied, “No, I can't. Because what we are doing today is nowhere foreseen ”. Shortly after the interview, House Speaker Chatfield and his successor Jason Wentworth announced that they had distanced themselves from all threats of violence and that Gary Eisen would be removed from all committees in the House for the rest of the term.

Donald Trump's opinions

In an interview given on October 8, Trump criticized Whitmer for her allegations against him over the abduction plan. He asked her to lift the lockdown in Michigan and condemn all forms of "extreme violence". In the interview, Trump falsely claimed that all schools and churches in Michigan had been closed by order of Whitmer. In response to Trump's remarks, Whitmer said this said all about the difference between Trump and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden . Biden also responded to Trump's remarks, saying his failure to convict the kidnapping planners was astounding.

Trump again attacked Whitmer for her COVID-19 measures at a rally in Muskegon on October 17. Participants in the rally chanted “Lock her up!” (Lock them up!), A slogan that was used to refer to Hillary Clinton in Donald Trump's 2015/16 presidential campaign, to which Trump replied: “Lock 'em all up” (Lock them all up on). Trump's daughter-in-law Lara , a campaign worker, later said he was just "having fun" at the rally. In a subsequent interview with Meet the Press , Whitmer called Trump's rhetoric "incredibly disturbing" and said the rhetoric was "inspirational, inciting and inciting" to domestic terrorism. She also rejected Trump's call for the COVID-19 measures to be lifted, pointing out that Michigan had not issued a general curfew since the spring. At a rally on October 27th in Lansing , Trump continued his verbal attacks against Whitmer and played down the abduction plan, which the audience replied with shouts of "Lock her up!"

Law enforcement response

After it became known that the abduction plan included attacks on the police, law enforcement agencies were placed on high alert.

Barry County Sheriff's Comments

Dar Leaf, the elected sheriff of Barry County , appeared to be defending the defendants in an October 8 interview. He said, “A lot of people are angry with the governor and want to see her behind bars. So are they trying to arrest her, or was it an attempted kidnapping? A serious felony can still be arrested in Michigan. "Referring to the Michigan Citizen's Statute , he continued," Elected state officials are not exempt. I have to look at it from this point of view, and that is, in fact, these people are innocent until proven guilty. I don't even know if they all took part ”.

The interview went viral on the internet , along with the discovery that Leaf appeared on the scene with one of the defendants in Michigan anti-lockdown protests. Prosecutor Nessel called the remarks "dangerous," and several other sheriffs in Michigan also expressed their indignation. Legal experts called the opinion that the Wolverine Watchmen had only exercised everyone's rights to arrest, by the hair. In a later statement, Leaf stated that he only wanted a fair trial for the defendants and that he disagreed with their actions, which he called "terrible". His previous comments and his closeness to one of the defendants led to demands for his resignation. Leaf said on October 13th that he understood this criticism, but would not comply with the demands.

More reactions

A spokesman for Facebook said the company would work with the FBI to solve the crime.

Eric Trump's campaign appearance at a gun shop in Lyon Township , scheduled for October 13, was moved to a ballroom in Novi after it became known that one of the defendants had worked in the gun shop for three weeks prior to his release.

According to media reports, the Wolverine Watchmen were a spin-off from Michigan Militia . She distanced herself from the group the day after the arrests. Other militias also distanced themselves from the group of abduction planners, including the Michigan Home Guard , of which one of those arrested was a member before he was disfellowshipped earlier that year.

Conspiracy theories surfaced on social media falsely claimed that the Wolverine Watchmen were anarchists affiliated with the Antifa and Black Lives Matter movements . Some postings with this content were marked as false by Facebook, PolitiFact described them as " mostly false ".

In a series about extremist behavior during the 2020 election campaign, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) voiced concerns about the political environment surrounding the abduction plan , pointing out that the anger and violence of the defendants were shared by people without an extremist background. According to the ADL, these people, who were not extremists themselves, used language reminiscent of extremist rhetoric, and thus "demanded and incited violence against Governor Whitmer".

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c d e f 'Deeply disturbing': Feds charge six militia members in domestic terror plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer . In: Detroit Free Press , October 8, 2020. 
  2. ↑ a b FBI thwarts militia plot to kidnap Michigan governor , WSOC-TV . October 8, 2020. 
  3. ^ Robert Snell, Melissa Nann Burke: Plans to kidnap Whitmer, overthrow government spoiled, officials say ( en-US ) Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  4. ↑ a b c F.BI Says Michigan Anti-Government Group Plotted to Kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (en-US) . In: The New York Times , October 8, 2020. 
  5. ↑ a b c d Derick Hutchinson: Officials charge 14th person linked to domestic terror plot targeting Michigan Gov. Whitmer , WDIV. October 15, 2020. 
  6. ↑ a b c d e 13 charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer , CNN. October 8, 2020. 
  7. ↑ Whitmer says Trump 'complicit' after feds reveal thwarted plot to kidnap her , NBC News. October 8, 2020. 
  8. ^ The Militia Movement . The Anti-Defamation League. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  9. ↑ George Hunter: Mysterious Wolverine Watchmen militia group 'flew under radar' , The Detroit News. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020. 
  10. ↑ Michigan: Corona-angry citizens stormed parliament , in the courier on May 1, 2020
  11. ↑ a b c Adam Gabbatt: How the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan's Democratic governor unraveled . In: The Guardian , October 8, 2020. 
  12. ↑ Kelly Weill: Sixteen 'Boogaloo' Followers Have Been Busted in 7 Days , The Daily Beast. October 9, 2020. 
  13. ↑ a b c d Abigail Censky: The Boiling Resentment Behind The Foiled Plan To Kidnap Gov. Whitmer , NPR. October 10, 2020. 
  14. ↑ FBI busts militia 'plot' to abduct Michigan Gov Gretchen Whitmer . In: BBC News , October 8, 2020. 
  15. ^ 5 men in Michigan governor kidnapping plot to face hearings , Associated Press. October 12, 2020. Accessed October 13, 2020. 
  16. ↑ Andrew Naughtie: Trump calls Gretchen Whitmer ungrateful for being saved from militia kidnap plot , The Independent. October 9, 2020. 
  17. ↑ Gov. Whitmer kidnapping planned before Trump's 'Liberate Michigan' tweet, FBI says , Detroit Free Press. October 16, 2020. 
  18. ↑ Midwest Institute of Health, PLLC v. Governor Syllabus , Michigan Supreme Court. October 2, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  19. ^ High court strikes down Whitmer's emergency powers; gov vows to use other means . In: The Detroit News , October 2, 2020. Retrieved October 13, 2020. 
  20. ↑ Emergency Order Under MCL 333.2253 - Gathering Prohibition and Mask Order , Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  21. ↑ Taylor DesOrmeau: More emergency rules for Michigan workplaces replace defunct Whitmer executive orders , mlive Media Group. October 14, 2020. 
  22. ↑ Michigan sets new restrictions on dining, gatherings as COVID-19 cases rise , Detroit Free Press. October 29, 2020. 
  23. ↑ Michigan Wolverines , Wolverine Foundation, accessed February 13, 2021
  24. ↑ a b c d The 'Wolverine Watchmen' Accused of Targeting Michigan Guv Spooked Their Neighbors , The Daily Beast. October 8, 2020. 
  25. ^ A b c Ed White: 13 charged in plots against Michigan governor, police . Associated Press. October 8, 2020. Accessed October 8, 2020.
  26. ^ AG Nessel Charges 7 under Michigan's Anti-Terrorism Act as Part of Massive Joint Law Enforcement Investigation , WSYM-TV . October 8, 2020. 
  27. ^ A b c Whitmer conspiracy allegations tied to boogaloo movement , NBC News. October 8, 2020. 
  28. ↑ Taylor Hatmaker: Militia tied to plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer was removed from Facebook in boogaloo purge , TechCrunch. October 8, 2020. 
  29. ↑ Six men charged with conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer . In: MSN News , CNBC , October 8, 2020. 
  30. ↑ a b c Delaware man accused in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer pardoned by Gov. Carney in 2019 , KSAZ-TV. October 9, 2020. 
  31. ^ A b Nathan Clark: $ 10 million bond set for Munith men arrested in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer . In: MLive Media Group , October 8, 2020. 
  32. ↑ United States of America v. Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta , US Department of Justice. October 6, 2020. Accessed October 8, 2020. 
  33. ↑ a b c FBI thwarted militia plot to kidnap Whitmer, overthrow state government , WJRT-TV. October 8, 2020. 
  34. ↑ Craig Mauger: Some of those charged in Whitmer plot attended Michigan Capitol rallies, witnesses say , The Detroit News. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  35. ↑ a b 2 Marine Corps Vets Among Those Arrested in Michigan Governor Kidnapping Plot , Military.com . October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 20, 2020. 
  36. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n These 13 men were charged with conspiring to kidnap Whitmer: Here's what we know , Detroit Free Press. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020. 
  37. ^ Neil MacFarquhar, Kathleen Gray: Why Michigan Is Considered 'Fertile' Ground for Anti-Government Extremists . In: The New York Times . October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 11, 2020.
  38. ↑ a b 2 men charged in plots against Gov. Whitmer served at the U.S. Marines , Detroit Free Press. October 11, 2020. 
  39. ↑ a b c d e f 13 men charged in alleged kidnapping plot, many with troubled pasts , Detroit Free Press. October 11, 2020. Retrieved October 17, 2020. 
  40. ↑ a b Boss: Kidnapping plot suspect was 'on edge' recently , WOOD-TV . October 8, 2020. 
  41. ↑ James Crump: Inside the basement where group allegedly plotted to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer . In: The Independent , October 8, 2020. 
  42. ↑ a b c Michigan militia groups try to distance themselves from alleged terrorist plot , Michigan Radio. October 12, 2020. Retrieved October 14, 2020. 
  43. ↑ a b Airplane mechanic accused in Whitmer kidnap plot denied bond , Detroit Free Press. October 16, 2020. Accessed October 18, 2020. 
  44. ^ Andrew Feather: FBI: Suspect in Whitmer kidnapping had history of violent, threatening social media posts , WWMT. October 29, 2020. 
  45. ^ Judge denies bond for alleged leader in Whitmer kidnapping plot, described as 'violent extremist'. January 13, 2021, accessed February 14, 2021 .
  46. ^ A b Robert Snell: Accused Whitmer kidnap plotter says God gave permission to kill , The Detroit News. January 13, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021. 
  47. ↑ a b c d Whitmer kidnap plotter also wanted to hang Trump, other politicians, FBI says , The Detroit News. October 28, 2020. 
  48. ↑ a b c Delaware man charged in Michigan governor kidnap plot was pardoned by Carney last year , Delaware Online. October 9, 2020. 
  49. ^ Gus Burns: Accused Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plotter, a recovered addict, argues for release pending trial . In: MLive Media Group , October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 30, 2020. 
  50. ↑ Terry Camp: Lawyer says suspect in Whitmer kidnap case 'didn't envision this happening' , WJRT-TV. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  51. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w United States of America v. Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta . October 6, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  52. ^ A b c Ciara O'Rourke: Looking at the ideologies of the Whitmer kidnapping plot suspects , PolitiFact. October 21, 2020. Accessed October 23, 2020. 
  53. ↑ Emma Colton: Man accused of hatching plot to kidnap Whitmer is BLM supporter and made comments critical of police , The Washington Examiner. October 11, 2020. Accessed October 23, 2020. 
  54. ^ Crystal A. Proxmire: Lake Orion Protest Affirms Black Lives Matter Movement , The Oakland County Times. June 7, 2020. Accessed October 23, 2020. 
  55. ^ Pro-Kyle Rittenhouse coronavirus denier arrested in plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer . In: The Daily Dot , October 8, 2020. 
  56. ↑ George Hunter: Alleged Whitmer kidnapping plotter posted anti-Trump video , The Detroit News. October 9, 2020. 
  57. ^ A b Judge slashes bond for Jackson County man linked to Whitmer kidnapping plot , WJRT-TV. 23 October 2020. 
  58. ↑ a b Michael Krafcik: Barry County Sheriff appeared at rally with brothers accused of Whitmer kidnapping plot , WWMT. October 9, 2020. 
  59. ↑ Heather Catallo: Photo shows two suspects in alleged kidnapping plot targeting Governor Whitmer inside Michigan Capitol , WXYZ-TV. October 8, 2020. 
  60. ↑ Ann Pierret: Whitmer kidnapping plot suspect made threats toward 2017 Flint rally , WJRT-TV. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  61. ↑ a b SC Gov. McMaster was target of group accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan governor , The Post and Courier. October 28, 2020. 
  62. ↑ Amy Lange: Ex-neighbor of militia suspect in Whitmer plot says he threatened her with gun before , WJBK. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020. 
  63. ↑ Joseph Cranney: Former soldier accused in Michigan governor kidnap plot arrested in Columbia , The Post and Courier. October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  64. ^ A b Wisconsin man charged in plot to kidnap Michigan governor , WISN-TV. October 15, 2020. 
  65. ^ Paul Egan: Wisconsin man is 14th to face charges in alleged Whitmer kidnap plot , Detroit Free Press. October 15, 2020. 
  66. ↑ a b Wolverine Watchmen members plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: Here's what we know . In: Detroit Free Press , October 8, 2020. 
  67. ↑ Maria Arias: 6 people charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer . In: Axios , October 8, 2020. 
  68. ^ A b Robert Snell: Feds find bomb components in alleged Whitmer kidnapping plot , The Detroit News. October 26, 2020. 
  69. ↑ US attorney releases evidence tied to Whitmer kidnapping plot , WWMT. October 16, 2020. 
  70. ↑ a b c d e f Whitmer kidnap plot: possible citizen's arrest mentioned in March, prosecutor says , Detroit Free Press. 23 October 2020. 
  71. ^ A b Christine MacDonald: Timeline: Key details of alleged plot against Whitmer . In: The Detroit News , October 8, 2020. 
  72. ↑ Feds: Plan to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer hatched in the Ohio suburb . In: The Cincinnati Enquirer , October 8, 2020. 
  73. ↑ Alleged Michigan kidnapping plot included setting Capitol on fire: Prosecutors , ABC News. November 13, 2020. Accessed November 15, 2020. 
  74. ^ A b Louise Hall: Whitmer kidnap plotters 'were planning mass televised execution of public officials' , The Independent. 19th November 2020. 
  75. ↑ 13 men charged in alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer , NBC News. October 8, 2020. 
  76. ↑ Chad Livengood: Feds foil militia plot to kidnap Whitmer from her northern Michigan vacation home ( en ) Crain's Detroit Business. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  77. ^ Nate Chute: What we know about the plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer and how the FBI foiled the militia's plan . In: Lansing State Journal , October 8, 2020. 
  78. ↑ Craig Mauger: Michigan Gov. Whitmer's residence gets security upgrade as part of $ 1.1M maintenance ( en-US ) September 4, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  79. ↑ a b FBI uncovers plot to kidnap Michigan governor: Live updates , CNN. October 8, 2020. 
  80. ^ Six people charged in plot to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer . In: The Guardian , October 8, 2020. 
  81. ^ Gus Burns: 13 men face charges in plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, start 'civil war' . In: MLive , October 8, 2020. 
  82. ^ Paul Egan: Prosecutors say they discovered bomb materials connected with Whitmer kidnap plot , Detroit Free Press. October 26, 2020. 
  83. ↑ Federal judge rules five men accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan's governor will stand trial , CNN. October 16, 2020. 
  84. ↑ Tresa Baldas: Whitmer kidnap suspects head to trial: 'They got caught Because they' re amateurs' , Detroit Free Press. October 16, 2020. 
  85. ^ John Agar: Kidnapping plot included leaving Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in boat in Lake Michigan, FBI says . In: MLive Media Group , October 13, 2020. 
  86. ↑ New and shocking details revealed at hearing for Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot , Detroit Free Press. October 13, 2020. 
  87. ↑ David K. Li: Michigan kidnapping conspirators also considered taking Virginia governor, FBI agent says . In: NBC News on October 13, 2020. 
  88. ^ Gus Burns: 'Ghost guns,' bomb materials found during investigation into men accused of Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot , MLive Media Group. October 26, 2020. 
  89. ↑ Tresa Baldas: Whitmer kidnap suspect wants out of jail. He's diabetic, and fears COVID-19 , Detroit Free Press. October 30, 2020. 
  90. ↑ Tresa Baldas: 6 Whitmer kidnap suspects indicted. 1 called for killing police, feds say , Detroit Free Press. December 16, 2020. Accessed December 17, 2020. 
  91. ↑ Xerxes Wilson: Delaware man awaiting trial for alleged plot kidnap Michigan governor seeks release from jail , Detroit Free-Press. January 1, 2021. Accessed January 2, 2021. 
  92. ↑ Tresa Baldas: 6 suspects in Whitmer kidnapping plot set to stand trial in March , Detroit Free-Press. January 15, 2021. 
  93. ^ Robert Snell: Judge sets trial date in alleged Whitmer kidnapping plot case , The Detroit News. January 15, 2021. 
  94. ↑ John Agar: Michigan man says he surveilled Gov. Whitmer's home in kidnap plot , MLive Media Group. January 27, 2021. 
  95. ^ South Carolina man extradited in Whitmer kidnap plot , Detroit Free Press. October 20, 2020. Accessed October 21, 2020. 
  96. ↑ Whitmer kidnapping suspect is out on bond , WEYI TV. November 11, 2020. 
  97. ↑ Nathan Clark: Bond reduced for Jackson-area men charged in Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot , MLive Media Group. November 13, 2020. 
  98. ↑ Marie Weidmayer: Jackson County is accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. Whitmer posts bond , MLive Media Group. November 16, 2020. 
  99. ^ Brianna Owczarzak: Wisconsin man charged in alleged plot to kidnap Whitmer released on bail , WNEM-TV. October 19, 2020. Accessed October 20, 2020. 
  100. ^ Gus Burns: Suspect in plot to kidnap Michigan governor fights extradition from Wisconsin , MLive Media Group. December 16, 2020. Accessed December 18, 2020. 
  101. ↑ Twin brothers charged in alleged Whitmer kidnapping plot get out on bond , WXYZ-TV. 4th December 2020. 
  102. ↑ Bond reduction denied for Wolverine Watchman , WEYI-TV. December 18, 2020. 
  103. ↑ Another Whitmer kidnapping suspect bonds out of jail , WOOD-TV. January 14, 2021. Retrieved January 15, 2021. 
  104. ↑ Joseph Choi: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer responds to kidnapping plot, says Trump 'complicit' in stoking extremists . In: The Hill , October 8, 2020. 
  105. ↑ Bruce Golding: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer blasts 'sick and depraved men' in kidnap plot . In: The New York Post , October 8, 2020. 
  106. ^ William Cummings: 'They're domestic terrorists': Michigan governor objects to calling men charged in kidnapping plot 'militias' , USA Today. October 9, 2020. 
  107. ^ Samuel Dodge: Whitmer: Domestic terrorists find 'comfort and support' in Republican state leadership , MLive Media Group. October 11, 2020. 
  108. ↑ Gretchen Whitmer: The Plot to Kidnap Me . The Atlantic. October 27, 2020. Accessed October 27, 2020.
  109. ↑ Men detonated explosive, used encrypted messages in Whitmer kidnap plot, feds say . In: The Detroit News , October 8, 2020. 
  110. ↑ Gov. Mike DeWine on Ohio-hatched plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer: 'A despicable act' . In: The Cincinnati Enquirer , October 8, 2020. 
  111. ↑ Chatfield calls out Whitmer for not informing lawmakers of alleged plot , The Detroit News. October 10, 2020. 
  112. ↑ Suspect wanted to strand Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in Lake Michigan, others discussed kidnapping Virginia's governor, FBI agent says , Chicago Tribune. October 13, 2020. 
  113. ↑ Veronica Stracqualursi: Michigan Democrats reiterate calls for banning guns from state Capitol building after alleged plot to kidnap governor foiled , CNN. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020. 
  114. ↑ Michigan Capitol Commission bans open carry of guns inside state Capitol , Paul Egan, Detroit Free Press, January 11, 2021
  115. ↑ Chandelis Duster: 'Credible threats of violence' prompt closure of Michigan capitol to the public ahead of Electoral College vote , CNN. December 14, 2020. 
  116. ↑ December 14, Rep. Gary Eisen . December 14, 2020. Accessed December 14, 2020.
  117. ↑ Lee Chatfield: Speaker of the Michigan House Lee Chatfield statement . Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  118. ↑ Savannah Behrmann: Trump says Whitmer didn't say 'thank you' after thwarted kidnapped plot. She did thank law enforcement , USA Today. October 8, 2020. 
  119. ↑ Malachi Barrett: Trump criticizes Whitmer after FBI foiled plot to kidnap Michigan governor ( en ) MLive Media Group. October 9, 2020. Accessed October 9, 2020.
  120. ↑ Devan Cole: Whitmer rips Trump campaign for attacking her after alleged kidnapping plot revealed , CNN. October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020. 
  121. ↑ Dareh Gregorian: 'Stunning': Biden slams Trump for shrugging off Whitmer kidnapping plot , NBC News. October 16, 2020. 
  122. ↑ Martin Pengelly: Gretchen Whitmer: Trump 'inciting domestic terrorism' with 'Lock her up!' rally chant . In: The Guardian , October 18, 2020. 
  123. ↑ Ben Kamisar: Whitmer says Trump continues to encourage 'domestic terrorism' with rhetoric , NBC News. October 18, 2020. 
  124. ^ Trump appears to give a pass to the domestic kidnapping plot against Whitmer , CNN. October 27, 2020. 
  125. ↑ John T. Bennett: Trump says plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer was 'maybe a problem, maybe it wasn't' , The Independent. October 27, 2020. 
  126. ↑ a b Phoebe Wall Howard: Michigan law enforcement on alert in response to 'plan to target and kill police' , Detroit Free Press. October 12, 2020. 
  127. ↑ Aaron Parseghian: Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf asks if alleged kidnappers were 'trying to arrest' Gov. Whitmer . In: FOX17 , October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  128. ↑ Christina Prignano: Michigan sheriff defends men accused in Gov. Whitmer kidnapping plot, drawing condemnation from state AG . In: Boston Globe , October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  129. ^ Gus Burns: Citizen's arrest defense probably won't fly in Michigan Gov. Whitmer kidnapping case, legal experts say , MLive Media Group. October 24, 2020. 
  130. ↑ Barry County sheriff responds to reactions to comments on kidnapping plot . In: FOX17 , October 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020. 
  131. ↑ Jade Bremmer: Michigan Sheriff Urged to Resign over Militia Ties Following Foiled Gov. Whitmer Kidnap Plot , Newsweek. October 12, 2020. 
  132. ↑ Ryan Boldrey: Michigan sheriff accepts criticism of association with militia members, will not resign , MLive Media Group. October 13, 2020. 
  133. ↑ Malachi Barrett: Eric Trump alters Michigan visit because suspect in Whitmer plot once worked at gun range , MLive Media Group. October 12, 2020. 
  134. ↑ Harriet Alexander: The Wolverine Watchmen: who are the militia 'behind the Michigan kidnap plot'? . October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  135. ↑ Dawn Jones: Wolverine Watchmen: A look at the group accused of plotting to kidnap Whitmer , WJRT-TV. October 8, 2020. 
  136. ↑ At the Extremes: The 2020 Election and American Extremism | Part 5 ( en ) October 22, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.