The Bizarre Plot to Overthrow the Governor of Michigan
On October 8th, the FBI revealed a plot to kidnap and overthrow Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer. The militia members behind the attempted kidnapping refer to themselves as the Wolverine Watchmen, all of which are now facing federal charges. The six alleged members of the plot to kidnap Gretchen Whitmer are as follows: Adam Fox, Brandon Castera, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris, Kaleb Franks, and Ty Garbin.
The Wolverine Watchmen are an anti-government and law enforcement group with ties to another militia known as the Bogaloo Bois known for their social media presence. The alleged reason for the kidnapping was that the group disagreed with many of the restrictions Governor Whitmer placed on Michigan residents to help contain the spread of the coronavirus. Plans for the operation are believed to have begun in June of this year, with the first meetings said to have taken place in a secret basement in Dublin, Ohio. Each participant was reportedly required to leave their phones outside of the room to avoid unauthorized recordings. The Wolverine Watchmen planned to overthrow the government, which they believed to be responsible for violating individual rights outlined in the United States constitution. An FBI report of the incident states, “Several members talked about murdering 'tyrants' or 'taking' a sitting governor.”
Their initial plan was to send 200 men to ambush the capital building, take hostages, and kidnap Governor Withmer before the November election. If this plan failed, their backup plan would have been to ambush her at her vacation home. Afterward, they intended to conduct a trial against her for treason. To pull this off, each person would have to pool their money to buy a myriad of supplies like tasers, tactical equipment, and $4,000 worth of explosives. The FBI has stated that they plan to charge the militia members as terrorists. Contrary to popular belief, the Second Amendment does not protect private militia groups.
At a press conference, Governor Whitmer openly criticized President Trump’s recent comments related to a known White Supremacist group called the Proud Boys, in which he encouraged them to “stand back and stand by”. Whitmer also called for unity in terms of combatting COVID-19 in the United States. At her press conference, Whitmer stated, “We are not each other's enemy, the virus is our enemy." Lee Chatfield, Michigan’s Republican House Speaker, made a statement condemning the men involved in the kidnapping plot. Chatfield expressed his hopes that those involved in the scandal are prosecuted quickly. All sides have come together to defend Governor Whitmer after the heinous plot against her.
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