The FBI says it has arrested six men in connection with an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
According to the Daily Mail and the FBI affidavit, the men are Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta and Ty Garbin, who is 24. They are accused of conspiring to kidnap Whitmer from her family’s vacation home in Michigan. The affidavit says the group wanted to put the governor on trial for treason because they believed her pandemic lockdown restrictions violated the U.S. Constitution. These are allegations, and the men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
The affidavit alleges the group began planning in early June. Investigators say members surveilled the governor’s property, trained with firearms and in combat style drills, and worked on making explosives. An FBI agent wrote that members spoke about killing so called tyrants or taking a sitting governor, and that the group agreed it needed more people and urged each other to spread the word.
Authorities say the plot came to light through an FBI informant who was part of a militia the men tried to recruit from. The affidavit describes a wider hope of taking over the state capitol with about 200 people.
Fox and Croft are described in the affidavit as the leaders. They are said to have led meetings aimed at uniting others to overthrow state governments they believed were violating the Constitution. At one alleged meeting, the affidavit says, Fox discussed grabbing Whitmer as she arrived at her vacation home. Multiple outlets reported the men planned to take her to a secure location in Wisconsin for a so called trial, though no specific spot had been chosen.
The arrests come after months of protests in Michigan over lockdown rules, including a demonstration where armed people entered the state capitol. Earlier on Thursday, about three hours before the FBI announced the arrests, President Trump criticized Whitmer in a tweet, calling her the “lockdown queen.”
Fox 2 Detroit reported that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel also announced state charges against seven more men in connection with the case. Responses from the men arrested were not available at the time of publishing.
Made to order and shipped to your door.
