WHITMER KIDNAPPING PLOT FOILED BY AGENTS
13 CHARGED IN SCHEME TO FORCE GOVERNOR TO STAND IN KANGAROO COURT Local connection: Investigators execute warrant in Shelby Township
Six men have been charged by federal law enforcement authorities with plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at her Elk Rapids vacation home aswell as attacking police, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday and unsealed Thursday in federal court.
Seven others, all Michigan residents have been charged in state courts. The 13 men were members of various domestic terrorism, or militia, groups.
The FBI investigation, which involved multiple confidential sources and undercover FBI personnel, has been ongoing since the spring. The investigation revealed the militia’s activities included two surveillances of the governor’s northern Michigan vacation home this summer. Discussions were underway to kidnap Whitmer to a remote location inWiscon
sin to stand “trial” for treason prior to the Nov. 3 election.
For months, the men plotted, consulted and trained, which involved firearms and the testing of explosives and tactical drills, with militia members while undertaking rehearsals in August and September, according to the complaint. Four of the six men planned to meet Wednesday to “make a payment on explosives and exchange tactical gear,” the FBI said in the court filing.
Court documents identify the defendants as Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, and Brandon Caserta, all of Michigan, and Barry Croft of Delaware. Those same court documents reveal that FBI officials did not believe there to have been an imminent threat posed to Whitmer.
Under federal law, each faces any term of years up to life in prison if convicted.
Gov. Whitmer said the militia groups were preparing to kidnap her and “possibly kill” her. She also thanked the “fearless” state and federal law enforcement officials for putting themselves in harms way and pursuing charges to keep her family safe.
She called the 13 individuals charged with allegedly plotting to kidnap her “sick” and “depraved,” who she hopes will be brought to justice.
“When I put my hand on the Bible and took the oath of office 22 months ago, I knew this job would be hard but I’ll be honest, I never could have imagined anything like this,” she said. “As a mom with two teenage daughters and three stepsons, my husband and I are eternally grateful to everyone who put themselves in harms way to keep our family safe.”
At a meeting in July, allegedly attended and recorded by one of the confidential sources, the men “discussed attacking a Michigan State Police facility, and in a separate conversation after themeeting, Garbin suggested shooting up the Governor’s vacation home,” authorities allege, according to court documents.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Thursday there has been a disturbing increase in antigovernment rhetoric and the re-emergence of groups that embrace extremist ideologies.
“These groups often seek to recruit new members by seizing on amoment of civil unrest and using it to advance their agenda of selfreliance and armed resistance,” she said. “This is more than just political disagreement or passionate advocacy, some of these groups’ mission is simply to create chaos and inflict harm upon others.”
According to court documents, Fox said he needed 200 men to storm the Capitol building in Lansing and take hostages, including Whitmer, and that he wanted to try Whitmer for “treason” and would execute the plan before the Nov. 3 election, according to FBI officials. Later, however, the group shifted to targeting the governor’s vacation home.
The FBI also quoted one of the accused as saying Whitmer “has no checks and balances at all. She has uncontrolled power right now. All good things must come to an end.”
Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan, said all of us can disagree about politics, but those differences should never result in violence.
“The allegations in this complaint are deeply disturbing,” he said. “We owe our thanks to themen and women of law enforcement who uncovered this plot and have worked so hard to protect Governor Whitmer.
Throughout the COVIDpandemic, Whitmer has been praised but also deeply criticized for the state’s response to the coronavirus. She put major restrictions on personal movement throughout the state and on the economy, although many of those limits have been lifted. The criminal complaint did not mention those orders.
Last week, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled 4-3 invalidating W hit me r’ s use of her emergency powers since April 30. MDHHS has since issued epidemic orders to reinstate major aspects of her previous executive orders aimed at protecting Michiganders from the spread of COVID-19.
The government said the scheme appeared to have roots in a June gathering in Dublin, Ohio, attended by more than a dozen people from several states, including Croft and Fox.
“The group talked about creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient,” the FBI affidavit said. “They discussed different ways of achieving this goal from peaceful endeavors to violent actions... Several members talked about murdering ‘ tyrants’ or ‘taking’ a sitting governor.”
Based on information developed in the FBI investigation, Attorney General Dana Nessel confirmed Thursday the arrest of seven men known tobe members of the militia group Wolverine Watch men, or associates of Wolverine Watchmen. The men had been charged with 19 state felonies for allegedly making terrorist threats, providing material support for terrorist acts, gang membership, and possessing a firearm during offense.
The suspects have been identified as Paul Bellar of Milford, Shawn Fix of Belleville, Eric Molitor of Cadillac, Michael Null of Plainwell, William Null of Shelby Township, and Pete Musico and Joseph Morrison, who live together in Munith. Bellar and Musico are facing up to 42 years in prison if convicted while the other men face up to 22 years in prison.
According to Nessel the seven men are alleged to have called on the militia groups’ members to identify the home addresses of law enforcement officers in order to target them; made threats of violence to instigate a civil war leading to societal collapse; and engaged in the planning and training for an operation to attack the state Capitol building and kidnap government officials, including Whitmer.
The state felony charges are subject to change after a complete review of the evidence obtained through the warrants, and differ from those charges issued at the federal level.
Through the efforts of more than 200 state and federal law enforcement officials – including experts from outside of Michigan – officers executed a series of search warrants and arrest warrants inmore than a dozen municipalities around the state, including, Belleville, Cadillac, Canton, Charlotte, Clarkston, Grand Rapids, Luther, Munith, Orion Township, Ovid, Portage, Shelby Township and Waterford Township.
Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard, whose office hosted some of the agencies before search warrants were executed, denounced the potential violence.
“I applaud the efforts by the FBI, the Attorney General’s Office, the Michigan State Police, and all local authorities in assisting in uncovering this plot against Governor Whitmer,” Bouchard said in a statement. “It was a pleasure to host partner agencies to use our facilities for briefing and planning prior to the search warrants being executed. Let me be clear - while free speech and having your own individual opinions on politics are what make our country great, violence is never a political expression which will be tolerated, especially here in Oakland County.”
Michigan State Police Director Col. Joe Gasper said Michigan law enforcement officers are united in their commitment to rooting out terrorism in any form.
“We will take swift action against anyone seeking to cause violence or harm in our state,” said Gasper. “Michigan residents can assist us in this mission by speaking up if you see suspicious activity or become aware of someone making threats. No tip is too small; don’t wait until it’s too late. Tips can be submitted confidentially 24/7 online at our website.”
The investigation is ongoing. Agents of the Detroit Field Office of the FBI and other members of their Joint Terrorism Task Force, including the Michigan State Police, are conducting the investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan is prosecuting the federal charges.