Plot to Kidnap Whitmer Foiled

Federal and state officials say they’ve broken up a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

This afternoon, state Attorney General Dana Nessel said the elaborate scheme was allegedly coordinated by a right-wing militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen…” [NESSEL].

It’s not immediately clear how many people have been arrested. Early reports indicated that federal officials had taken six into custody. Nessel announced state charges against seven others. All are from the Lower Peninsula, except for one man from Delaware.

A number of search warrants were also executed across the state.

U.S. Attorney Andrew Birge said the plot included surveillance of Whitmer’s summer home in the northwestern Lower Peninsula, where they planned to abduct her. Explosives were purchased to make bombs to use as diversions to distract law enforcement, and a test explosive device was built and detonated. Coded and encrypted communications were used, but officials monitoring social media became aware of the effort, and began the investigation.

The investigation continues, involving the Michigan State Police, the FBI, the U.S. Attorney offices in Grand Rapids, Detroit and Baltimore, and the Michigan Attorney General’s office.

Listen to the full press conference here: