Just hours after the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) foiled a plot by members of a militia group to kidnap her, Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer held President Trump responsible for fomenting the hate that drives the actions of such groups.

Addressing a press conference, Whitmer said, “Just last week the President of the United States stood before the American people and refused to condemn White supremacists and hate groups … ‘Stand back and stand by,’ he told them. ‘Stand back and stand by.’ Hate groups heard the President’s words not as a rebuke but as a rallying cry, as a call to action. When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight. When our leaders meet with, encourage, or fraternize with domestic terrorists, they legitimatize their actions and they are complicit.”

Six men; Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta, were arrested yesterday when the FBI and Michigan State Police raided a home in Hartland. They were charged in the Western District of Michigan earlier today for an alleged plot to kidnap Whitmore from her vacation home. The men had considered setting off bombs to divert police attention. All this was part of a wider agenda to violently overthrow governments that the group felt were violating the Constitution.
The group members not only underwent weapons training including building Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), but also conducted surveillance of the Governor’s property twice; on August 29 and the intervening night between September 12-13, 2020.

Whitmer warned other groups and individuals with similar opinions, “If you break the law or conspire to commit heinous acts of violence against anyone, we will find you. We will hold you accountable, and we will bring you to justice.” She added, “Hatred, bigotry and violence have no place in the great state of Michigan.”

Governor Whitmer’s entire statement may be viewed here:

Shocking revelations as per the Criminal Complaint

The criminal complaint filed with the district court revealed, “In early 2020, the FBI became aware through social media that a group of individuals were discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law-enforcement components. Among those individuals identified were CROFT and FOX. Through electronic communications, CROFT and FOX agreed to unite others in their cause and take violent action against multiple state governments that they believe are violating the U.S. Constitution.”
It explained, “The militia group had already been brought to the attention of the FBI by a local police department in March 2020, when members of the militia group were attempting to obtain the addresses of local law-enforcement officers. At the time, the FBI interviewed a member of the militia group who was concerned about the group’s plans to target and kill police officers, and that person agreed to become a CHS.”

The complaint further revealed, “On June 6, 2020, CROFT, FOX and approximately 13 other people from several states gathered in Dublin, Ohio. CHS-1 was present at this meeting. The group talked about 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. 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.”

Then the complaint chillingly adds, “Several members talked about murdering “tyrants” or “taking” a sitting governor. The group decided they needed to increase their numbers and encouraged each otherto talk to their neighbors and spread their message. As part of that recruitment effort, FOX reached out to a Michigan based militia group (the “militia group.”)”