Trump Supporting Michigan Militia Members Arrested In Plot To Kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

Six members of a Michigan militia were arrested for plotting to kidnap and potentially assassinate Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Politico reported:

Some of the alleged plotters were part of a group that initially met to discuss “creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient.”

“They discussed different ways of achieving this goal from peaceful endeavors to violent actions,” per the FBI affidavit. “At one point, several members talked about state governments they believed were violating the U.S. Constitution, including the government of Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Several members talked about murdering ‘tyrants’ or ‘taking’ a sitting governor. The group decided they needed to increase their numbers and encouraged each other to talk to their neighbors and spread their message.”

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The FBI says it has probable cause to charge six of the plotters: Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta. All of the men live in Michigan with the exception of Croft, a Delaware resident.

A tip-off that these militia members are Trump supporters is found in their sole interest in overthrowing certain state governments. The plotters took their lead from Trump who made Whitmer, in particular, a named target of his rage over coronavirus lockdowns.

For months, Trump and Republicans have been claiming that America was under threat from imaginary Antifa, but the real according to law enforcement has always been homegrown militias. Militia members are part of the backbone of Trump’s political support.

According to the criminal complaint, militia members planned to take Whitmer hostage at her vacation home, put her on trial, and assassinate her. The militia also wanted to target and kill police officers.

Thankfully, these men are behind bars and Gov. Whitmer is safe, but less than a month before the election, the arrests in Michigan prove that Trump is encouraging extremist violence.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association