Fourteen members tied to the paramilitary militia group Wolverine Watchmen were arrested in connection to the 2020 scheme to kidnap the Democratic governor after she refused to loosen coronavirus restrictions in the state. The plan was allegedly brainstormed at a militant-group training camp in August. Within a few weeks, the defendants began surveilling Whitmer's vacation house and "drew a map" that "noted approximate distances from the home to police first responders," as per an indictment.
The group also reportedly planned to attack infrastructure near Whitmer's house, including blowing up a bridge to slow the response from law enforcement officers.
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The case has been heralded as a high-profile example of how the FBI's infiltration of the innermost circle of extremist groups can thwart domestic terrorism. But others believe it's an example of gross government overreach that could backfire.
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Prosecutors recently revealed that there were a dozen confidential informants working on the case. The evidence they gathered provided a glimpse into American extremism and how some self-proclaimed militia groups collaborate with one another, including pooling resources and building on violent ideas.
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But a closer look into the foiled kidnapping by BuzzFeed signaled that some of the informants the government used appeared to play a far greater role in the plot than had been previously reported. In fact, the informants had a hand in nearly every aspect of the twisted machination, including its inception.
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New information on the extent of the FBI's involvement has raised questions as to whether there would have even been a conspiracy to take down the Democratic governor without their assistance.
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All but one of the 14 original defendants have pleaded not guilty and deny they were ever involved in the scheme. They contend that they were targeted by the government because of their political views. They also claim the government orchestrated a campaign against them to undermine the Patriot movement, a far-right ideology that pledges allegiance to the Second Amendment and believes the government violated the U.S. Constitution and is therefore illegitimate. They also argue that the government is guilty of criminal conspiracy and possible entrapment.
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Prosecutors disagree.
They have gathered thousands of social media posts, 400,000 text messages, and have 1,300 hours of audio and video recordings that they claim show the suspects not only expressed anti-government views but also took steps to carry out the plan.
The defendants argue the recordings and text messages are constitutionally protected speech. They also claim talk of the kidnapping never rose beyond the level of fantasy and that they never intended to hurt anyone.
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