MI - 14 men charged in plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Oct 2020 *8 guilty, 5 NG*

[drama_farmer]

As a Michigander, can I just say well I haven't always agreed with Gov. Whitmer, I certainly respect her. She's managed to gracefully handle a legitimately unprecedented statewide emergency, for months now. I mean it was a literal global pandemic, can you imagine the stress of knowing making the wrong decision could mean the deaths of thousands of your constituents... friends, neighbors, loved ones. She's done better than anyone could have expected, and shes thoughtfully made decisions with the safety of everyone in mind. I personally, would crumble under that pressure, but shes be a strong leader when we needed it. ..... and then there are THESE GUYS.

I know people are bored at home, but I'd like to humbly suggest maybe spending time with your family, or friends, or I dunno a therapist. Pick up an old hobby, read a book, be productive with all this free time.... plotting to kill the governor has got to be the worst way to spend your free time. what would it even accomplish? I mean it certainly wouldn't stop a global pandemic, unless these guys are God and have a say in that sort of thing or have convinced CD to see their side of it. I mean this is Detriot, were better than this. I mean we've literally watched the lions have a losing season for the last like 30 years, and literally blow it every game, and yet we all still remain hopeful "this could be the yea" (please note im using air quotes here, its never going to be our year we should all embrace that) .If we can all believe in the Lions, we should be able to get through anything. Detroiters don't throw a tantrum and conspire to commit murder when things get tough, we rub some dirt on it, suck it up, and get stronger from the hustle.

Every time you think societies reached some sort of bottom, other people decide it's time to compete for the title. What a bunch of fools. I bet they were all the same dudes who went to Costco and bought a lifetimes worth of toilet paper when the pandemic hit and got mad when they weren't allowed to return it. Embarrassed these winners are representing the mitten. I have no power to do so but I declare they get a lifetime ban on Faygo, Detroit sports, little caesars, all music from Detriot artist, and doing the Michigan thing where you use your hand as map when your trying to describe where a location is

One of the best posts I've read on this site. Wish I could give you an award

 

[Cool Cats]

As a Michigander, can I just say well I haven't always agreed with Gov. Whitmer, I certainly respect her. She's managed to gracefully handle a legitimately unprecedented statewide emergency, for months now. I mean it was a literal global pandemic, can you imagine the stress of knowing making the wrong decision could mean the deaths of thousands of your constituents... friends, neighbors, loved ones. She's done better than anyone could have expected, and shes thoughtfully made decisions with the safety of everyone in mind. I personally, would crumble under that pressure, but shes be a strong leader when we needed it. ..... and then there are THESE GUYS.

I know people are bored at home, but I'd like to humbly suggest maybe spending time with your family, or friends, or I dunno a therapist. Pick up an old hobby, read a book, be productive with all this free time.... plotting to kill the governor has got to be the worst way to spend your free time. what would it even accomplish? I mean it certainly wouldn't stop a global pandemic, unless these guys are God and have a say in that sort of thing or have convinced CD to see their side of it. I mean this is Detriot, were better than this. I mean we've literally watched the lions have a losing season for the last like 30 years, and literally blow it every game, and yet we all still remain hopeful "this could be the yea" (please note im using air quotes here, its never going to be our year we should all embrace that) .If we can all believe in the Lions, we should be able to get through anything. Detroiters don't throw a tantrum and conspire to commit murder when things get tough, we rub some dirt on it, suck it up, and get stronger from the hustle.

Every time you think societies reached some sort of bottom, other people decide it's time to compete for the title. What a bunch of fools. I bet they were all the same dudes who went to Costco and bought a lifetimes worth of toilet paper when the pandemic hit and got mad when they weren't allowed to return it. Embarrassed these winners are representing the mitten. I have no power to do so but I declare they get a lifetime ban on Faygo, Detroit sports, little caesars, all music from Detriot artist, and doing the Michigan thing where you use your hand as map when your trying to describe where a location is

BBM

They do not represent us! Rest assured it is strong Michigan Law Enforcement including the Michigan FBI who represents us and stepped up to the plate.

Great post by the way don't forget the Detroit Tigers!

 

[dotr]

One of the best posts I've read on this site. Wish I could give you an award

Totally agree, feel like busting out a song..

 

[worm]

"Just talk" is going to be one of the defendant's defense?

I've been having "just talk" about doing a seven course Italian dinner for about ten years now. Did I actually plan the menu, buy the ingredients, invite guests, set the table and do the actual cooking? NO, no I did not.

These guys, they staked out her vacation house, scouted out a bridge and talked about blowing it up, plotted LE response time and were ordering stuff to make bombs. I'd say they left "just talk" far in the rearview.

MOO

Agreed, when they started to make bombs, that moved it from just talk.

I’m sure glad this investigation wasn’t left up to that sheriff as I wonder if he wouldn’t have encouraged them with the way he talks. I think he makes LE look bad in general.

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

BBM

They do not represent us! Rest assured it is strong Michigan Law Enforcement including the Michigan FBI who represents us and stepped up to the plate.

Great post by the way don't forget the Detroit Tigers!

Detroit Red Wings and Michigan Wolverines

 

[ivegotthemic]

One of the best posts I've read on this site. Wish I could give you an award

Thank you guys, im greatly to have a place to showcase my whole comedy routine where people get me. since law schools on zoom now, alot of my sarcasm just goes to waste

and since were sharing things from detriot

Let us not forget Mike Posner. His album At Night, Alone is actually very legit and I have no shame in admitting I have it on vinyl.

Thank God the FBI and MSP are out there doing there jobs, some kind of weird/botched kidnapping attempt of our governor would not be a good national look for us

 

[sds71]

GmacCash - Big Gretch (OfficialAudio) Prod. By Primo Beats

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer responds to 'Big Gretch' rap song

 

[sds71]

• The rural property in Munith, Michigan, is owned by Ty Garbin and was being used by the group as recently as August for them to practice shooting and combat drills
• There were still shell casings strewn across the property and bullet-riddled metal signs when DailyMail.com visited this week
• It is where the men detonated homemade explosives and conspired to kidnap Democrat Whitmer over her handling of the COVID-19 crisis

Inside Michigan militiamen's training ground | Daily Mail Online

 

[worm]

In a state with legal pot like MI has, I could find much better things to do than running around playing Army and thinking of hurting others.

 

[Niner]

Friday, October 16th:
*Probable Cause Conference Hearing (@ 1pm CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - for *Pete Musico (42) of Munith arrested & charged (10/7/20) & arraigned (10/8/20) with threat of terrorism, gang membership, providing material support for terrorist act & carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. Bail set at $10M.
10/8/20 Update: Was arraigned in Jackson County. Next probable cause conference hearing on 10/16/20 @ 1pm & preliminary exam hearing on 10/21/20.
For *Joseph Matthew Morrison (26) of Munith arrested & charged (10/7/20) & arraigned (10/8/20) with threat of terrorism, gang membership, providing material support for terrorist acts; carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. Bail set at $10M.
10/8/20 Update: Was arraigned in Jackson County. Next probable cause conference hearing on 10/16/20 @ 1pm & preliminary exam hearing on 10/21/20.
*Paul Edward Bellar (21) of Milford arrested & charged (10/7/20) with threat of terrorism, gang membership & carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony. Was arrested in Columbia, SC & Michigan attempting to have him extradited to Michigan.
Musico & Morrison are founding members of the Wolverine Watchmen. Morrison is considered Watchmen's "Commander" & is known by the online moniker "Boogaloo Bunyan".
Accomplices:
Eric Molitor (36), Michael Null (38), William Null (38), Shawn Michael Fix (38) – all charged with State crimes.
Adam Dean Fox (37), Barry Croft, Ty Gerard Garbin (24), Kaleb James Franks (26), Daniel Joseph Harris (23) & Brandon Caserta (32) – all charged with Federal crimes.

 

[Niner]

Friday, October 16th:
*Detention Hearing (@ 9:30am CT) - MI – Plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer - for *Adam Dean Fox (37) (born 1983) of Grand Rapids, *Barry Gordon Croft, Jr. (44) (no birth date given) from Bear, Delaware (waiting to be extradited to MI), for *Ty Gerard Garbin (24) (born 1995) of Hartland, *Kaleb James Franks (26) (born 1994) of Wexford, *Daniel Joseph Harris (23) (born 1997) of Lake Orion & *Brandon Caserta (32) (born 1988) of Canton arrested & charged (10/8/20) with conspiracy to commit kidnapping. All charged with a federal crime. Franks, Harris & Caserta held without bond.
10/6/20: Criminal complaint:
https://www.scribd.com/document/479237112/Criminal-Complaint-Plot-to-Kidnap-Gov-Whitmer
The plan was to take Whitmer to Wisconsin & hold a kangaroo court trial for treason.
10/9/20 Update: First appearance for detention hearing in court on Tuesday, 10/13/20 at 9:30am in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens in federal court in Grand Rapids for Fox, Garbin, Franks, Harris & Caserta. Croft has detention hearing in Delaware on 10/13/20 @ 2:45pm.
10/13/20 Update: Fox & Garbin’s detention hearing moved to 10/16/20. FBI Special Agent Richard Traskalso said they also talked about "taking out" a second politician, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam. The bond hearing provided new details about how investigators infiltrated the alleged conspiracy with informants and undercover agents. And testimony portrayed members of the alleged conspiracy as security-conscious schemers who were caught despite using encrypted chat applications & foul-mouthed code names for each other. The three defendants are: Kaleb James Franks, 26, of Wexford, known as "Red Hot". Daniel Joseph Harris, 23, of Lake Orion, known as "Beaker". Brandon Caserta, 32, of Canton Township, known as "Debased Tyrant". Adam "Alpha F--- You" Fox, 37, of Potterville, & Ty "Gunney" Garbin, 24, of Hartland Township, had their hearings moved to Friday. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens ordered Kaleb James Franks, Daniel Joseph Harris & Brandon Caserta to be held without bond until the trial. No next court date as of 10/14/20.
Accomplices charged with State crimes:
*Eric Molitor (36) of Cadillac, Michael Null (38) of Plainwell, William Null (38) of Shelbyville, Paul Edward Bellar (21) of Milford, Shawn Michael Fix (38) of Belleville, Pete Musico (42) of Munith & Joseph Matthew Morrison (26) of Munith.

 

[JerseyGirl]

Wisconsin man 14th person arrested in alleged Whitmer kidnapping plot

A 51-year-old Wisconsin man has been charged with material support of an act of terrorism for his alleged role in plans to storm the Michigan Capitol and harm government officials, including kidnapping Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Brian Higgins of Wisconsin Dells was arrested in Wisconsin on Thursday and will be extradited to northern Michigan's Antrim County, where three of the other 13 suspects in the alleged kidnapping plot have been arraigned.

Higgins participated in surveillance of Whitmer’s vacation home. He also provided night-vision goggles and used a dash camera in his vehicle to record footage of the surveillance.

Higgins faces up to 20 years in prison and/or a $20,000 fine.

Wisconsin man arrested in Michigan governor kidnap plot


@Niner, I updated the title to 14

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

Whitmer kidnapping suspects to stand trial, federal judge says

Grand Rapids — A federal magistrate judge Friday ordered five men to stand trial on allegations they plotted to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

The move by U.S. Magistrate Judge Sally Berens followed two days of testimony about a broad plot by men accused of holding anti-government views to kidnap the governor as retribution for stay-at-home orders imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Berens said there was sufficient evidence to support the conspiracy charge, pointing to allegations the alleged co-conspirators conducted nighttime surveillance of Whitmer's vacation home in northern Michigan...

 

[BetteDavisEyes]

5 men charged in domestic terror plot against Gov. Whitmer bound over for trial

Brian Higgins, of Wisconsin, charged with material support of an act of terrorism

LANSING, Mich. – Five of the men charged in an alleged domestic terror plot targeting Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer have been bound over for trial.

On Friday, defense attorneys for some of the men questioned an FBI agent who specializes in terrorism, trying to cast doubt on whether or not the men actually would have gone through with the alleged scheme...

A judge ruled that there is more than enough evidence to bind all five Michigan residents over for trial...

 

[MrsWatson]

One of these guys was interviewed, on camera, in a Boogalo (sp?) shirt, spouting his beliefs, another one making threats, a whole pile of electronic data, etc etc etc.

My only question is, will they be going to Supermax in CO or USP Terre Haute?

 

[JerseyGirl]

An investigator testified Friday that he believed that the planning to kidnap Whitmer, and a mention of kidnapping Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam, preceded April tweets by Trump to “liberate” Michigan and Virginia from lockdown orders.

5 men accused of plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer ‘amateurs’ but dangerous, prosecutor says

 

[JerseyGirl]

Michigan authorities on Oct. 9 set a $10 million bond for two other men involved in the plot. Pete Musico, 42, and Joseph Morrison, 26, were charged with counts of terrorism, gang membership, providing support for planned terrorist actions and possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony.

Four additional men were also charged by the state in connection with the plot for felonies of supporting terrorist acts and possessing firearms, with each jailed on a $250,000 bond. Paul Bellar, one of the men, is scheduled to be extradited from South Carolina by Oct. 27.

Eighth person charged in alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer

 

[MrsWatson]

250k is hopefully too much for any of like-minded people to come up with.

 

[Cool Cats]

10/14/2020 08:41 PM ET

Police Visited Wolverine Watchmen Training Site Over Domestic Disturbances, Stolen Chicken Coop | HuffPost

Joseph Morrison (left) and Pete Musico lived at a house in Munith, Michigan, that is alleged to have been a training site for a militia group called Wolverine Watchmen.

But before the last week’s FBI raid, local cops were called to the house multiple times, by its occupants and by outsiders, for issues ranging from domestic disturbances to a stolen chicken coop.

A man called 911 on Aug. 11 to report he heard a couple at the house yelling at each other.

“We hear a baby screaming,” the caller said, “and then she was whopping the car with a 4x4 or a 2x4, hitting the guy’s car, and the baby screaming, kicking doors.”

“They were screaming, saying bad words to each other, and she said, ‘You’re not going to do anything in front of my kid,’” the caller said.

At the time of that call, several people had gathered outside the house while a woman screamed at them and threatened to shoot herself.

The caller said the neighbors were “known to shoot AR15s.”

“I hear them all the time,” the caller said. “Make sure your officers know they do have weapons.”

In spite of alleged animosity toward law enforcement, sometimes residents of the house ― including Musico’s wife, Crystal, and daughter Jada, who is married to Morrison ― felt the need to call the police themselves.

On April 12, 2019, Morrison, who owns the house, called to report that his chicken coop had been stolen. And last May 25, Jada Morrison called emergency dispatchers to report that four youths had thrown trash into a nearby river.

“Typically 9-12 subjects train at the compound weekly,” the report says. “They own approximately 2 acres. They allegedly have C4 in their residence. It is been rumored their entrances may be booby-trapped as well.”

The home in rural Munith, Michigan, where members of the Wolverine Watchmen trained weekly, according to law enforcement.

 

[MrsWatson]

Wolverines and chicken coops. There's some irony in there.