FBI Arrests Six Michigan Militia who Plotted to Kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/08/us/gretchen-whitmer-michigan-militia.html?smid=tw-share

Six men were arrested and accused of plotting with a militia group to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, the authorities announced on Thursday.

The men, who the F.B.I. said espoused anti-government views, had talked about taking Ms. Whitmer, a Democrat, hostage since at least the summer, according to a criminal complaint filed in federal court and unsealed on Thursday.

The criminal complaint is here via @kyledcheney of @politico https://static.politico.com/e5/1d/aa6277a242e0af889ec06f7e4a12/michiganaffidavit.pdf

The militia men had surveilled Ms. Whitmer’s vacation home in August and September, and they indicated that they wanted to take her hostage before the presidential election in November.

The F.B.I. believed the men were planning to buy explosives this week for their attempt. One of the men said the group should take Ms. Whitmer hostage and move her to a “secure location” in Wisconsin for a “trial,” the agent said.

Several of the men had talked about creating a society in which they could be “self-sufficient” and one said he wanted 200 men to storm the Statehouse in Lansing, Mich, the complaint said.

Ms. Whitmer has been the subject of attack from right-wing protesters for measures she imposed to control the spread of the coronavirus.

There will be a press conference shortly to announce and detail the case.

The press conference has begun and is live on @MSNBC

The complaint: 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 militia held meetings in a basement where they
discussed plans for assaulting the Michigan State Capitol,
countering law enforcement first responders, and using “Molotov cocktails” to destroy police vehicles.

The militia members held tactical training drills and participated in 2nd amendment rally at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan where they sought to recruit more members.

On June 25, 2020, one of the militia leaders live-streamed a video to a private Facebook group that included one of two informants for law enforcement, in which the militia leader complained about the judicial system and the State of Michigan controlling the opening of gyms.

The militia leader referred to Governor Whitmer as “this tyrant bitch,” and stated, “I don’t know, boys, we gotta do something. You guys link with me on our other location
system, give me some ideas of what we can do.” The video was preserved by the FBI.

Later at a meeting held after a tactical training exercise on June 28, 2020 attendees were told to leave if they were not willing to participate in attacks against the government and in kidnapping politicians.

On July 11, at another exercise, two members of the militia group attempted to construct an improvised explosive device (“IED”), using black powder, balloons, a fuse, and BBs for shrapnel. They made a second attempt. Both were filmed. Both failed. The FBI retained the film.

Gosh I wonder where armed militias got the idea to storm the State Capitol and kidnap the governor because she shut down the gyms. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1251169217531056130