The far-left Washington Post recently reported that the accused leader of a plot to kidnap the Michigan governor was “struggling financially” and living in a basement storage space.
Trump campaign official Jason Miller is on Fox News attacking Gretchen Whitmer, the victim of a kidnapping plot: "If we want to talk about hatred, then Gov. Whitmer, go look in the mirror — the fact that she wakes up everyday with such hatred in her heart for President Trump." pic.twitter.com/sMXv7mgBfa
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 8, 2020
What else was buried in their long-winded report? The fact that one of the alleged plotters in the scheme to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer (D-MI) is a Black Lives Matter supporter. Breitbart News scoured through the article and reported this:
“One of the alleged plotters, 23-year-old Daniel Harris, attended a Black Lives Matter protest in June, telling the Oakland County Times he was upset about the killing of George Floyd and police violence.”
John Nolte, who reported on the “buried” information in the Washington Post article, said that the American people have been told by the media, Joe Biden, and Whitmer herself, that all the plotters in her kidnapping are right-wing, racist, militia men inspired by Donald Trump.
Here is how the federal government thwarted a sensational effort to kidnap Whitmer and landed 13 men in jail on terrorism and kidnapping charges: https://t.co/2I3EFACECB
— IndyStar (@indystar) October 11, 2020
Clearly, it was yet another lie from the Democrats that was then streamlined by the media. Nolte said:
“So, among the alleged plotters, we can add Daniel Harris to the list of those who do not fit the fake news, media’s fake narrative about the why and wherefores behind his appalling plot.”
This is a video of Brandon Caserta, one of the ringleaders of the group of men arrested for a plot where the group planned to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Caserta has an anarchist flag behind him and in YouTube videos trashes police. He’s not a Republican, he’s an anarchist. pic.twitter.com/J1vE2qGYL7
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 8, 2020
He added that included on the list of accused blotters is Brandon Caserta, who claims that Trump is a “tyrant.” So is accused plotter Pete Musico who spoke out in favor of racial harmony as he attacked the police.
"By you participating in the government, you’re participating in slavery dude for everyone else."
He says voting for anyone "is admitting that you believe in the legitimacy of authority which means you believe in the legitimacy of slavery."
Brandon Caserta is an anarchist. pic.twitter.com/8ypXeAP4kH
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 8, 2020
Nolte explained that there is a whole lot more and added that a fairly important piece of information about all of the alleged plotters was “wrist-flicked” by the fake news artists at Washington Post. The Post article said:
“As their anger mounted, they trained together with firearms and experimented with explosives, discussing plans to storm the state capitol building and attack police officers in their homes, authorities said.”
In response to reading that, Nolte said:
“Attack police officers in their homes!? Does that sound to you anything like a militant group of MAGAMEN taking subliminal orders from Trump’s secret dog whistle?”
Nolte added:
“What does that sound like? Chose your eyes and picture the words, ‘attack police officers in their homes’ and what do you see? You know what you see. You see the left-wing terrorists in Antifa and Black Lives Matter. It’s all two sides of the same coin.”
Delaware man among those charged in alleged plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan. https://t.co/2zLL3fesqS
— FBI Baltimore (@FBIBaltimore) October 8, 2020
Nolte reiterated the fact that those plotting to kidnap Whitmer are in favor of less government. Those in favor of less government are not those who support Trump and it certainly is not Trump himself. Those who support less government or no government at all are Anarchists. Nolte said:
“That’s right, left-wing anarchists want zero government, which is why the left-wing anarchists in Portland and elsewhere are attacking police and government officials.”
He added:
“Overall, 13 people have been charged in some capacity with this plot and we now know, according to the actual charging documents, that they stand accused of wanting to attack police officers in their homes, which is anathema to everything Donald Trump has stood for throughout his presidency and stands for now as the left wreak havoc across the country with the blessing of the national media and Democrats.”
Nolte finished by saying:
“And we all know who is in favor of attacking the police, who is inspiring all of this hatred and violence against the police. Democrat politicians like Whitmer and Biden and media outlets like the Washington Post. So, when the media and Biden and Whitmer tell you Trump inspired this, that’s a lie.”
PHOENIX, AZ – The recent bust of six individuals alleged to have hatched a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has been adopted as fodder to further the narrative of President Donald Trump being the inspiration behind this alleged scheme.
But presidential hopeful Joe Biden also hopped on this narrative of linking President Trump’s “words” to inspire the alleged kidnapping of a governor.
.@JoeBiden just made an outrageous accusation.
1. There is no link between the kidnappers and Trump.
2. There's no evidence they were white supremacists.
3. The "fine people" hoax is debunked.
Biden is stirring fear and division.
https://t.co/BEd8kOS5dS via @BreitbartNews
— Joel Pollak (@joelpollak) October 8, 2020
When Biden addressed reporters during a campaign stop in Phoenix, AZ on Oct. 8, he stated the following pertaining to the recently foiled kidnapping plot of the Michigan governor:
“There is no place for hate in America. And both of us have been talking about this for some time, about how white supremacists and these militias are a genuine threat. I want to compliment the FBI and the police agencies for what they did, and how they stepped up.”
Now, there’s nothing yet to assign any label akin to white supremacy to the arrestees from the recent FBI thwarting of an alleged kidnapping plot.
Allegedly, some militia members were involved in this scheme – but there hasn’t been any mention of racial, identity-driven groups playing a part.
Biden’s comments continued, linking the events in Michigan to that of the president’s “words”:
“But look –the words of a president matter. Whether they can — you’ve heard me say this before. They can cause a nation to have the market rise or fall, go to war or bring peace, but they can also breathe oxygen into those who are filled with hate and anger, and I just think it’s got to stop. The president has to realize the words he utters matter.”
To Biden’s credit, he’s absolutely spot-on in noting that what a president says can have huge effects on any number of things. But with President Trump clamoring the phrase “law and order” on social media for months – it’s a stretch to imply he’s giving “oxygen” to kidnapping plots.
Now some people are claiming that President Trump’s April tweet that reads “Liberate Michigan” served as the inspiration.
LIBERATE MICHIGAN!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 17, 2020
Interestingly enough, even Newsweek says that it’s “unknown” whether or not President Trump’s April tweet did anything to inspire an alleged kidnapping plot.
And if that’s not enough – one of the six people arrested was actually very anti-Trump and posted a video online calling President Trump a “tyrant”:
“Trump is not your friend, dude. It amazes me that people actually, like, believe that when he’s shown over and over and over again that he’s a tyrant. Every single person that works for government is your enemy, dude.”
The “ear rings” give it away. Hardy conservative.
— smerkylurky (@smerkylurky) October 9, 2020
The person in question is Brandon Caserta, who espoused anti-police rhetoric in other videos as well.
Once again, all while speaking in front of an anarchist flag. That certainly doesn’t reek of anything inspired by President Trump.
More on the ideology of one of the men who was busted by the FBI for a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In this video he poses in front of an anarchist flag to tell people that the Declaration of Independence is an anarchist document. Brandon Caserta is an anarchist. pic.twitter.com/7PgQkYrNIQ
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 8, 2020
Keep in mind, this is one of the ring leaders of this alleged kidnapping plot that is preaching anarchist ideology. Does that sound like anything President Trump would or has inspired?
Not to mention, we’ve seen President Trump come to the defense of law enforcement numerous times over the past several months due to the riots and protesting. And then we have Caserta on video referring to police officers as a “violent gang” and describing them as “the enemy.”
Watch this video of Brandon Caserta. He was arrested for plotting to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. In this video he poses in front of an anarchist flag and calls police "a violent gang" and "enemies". He’s an anarchist who hates government and police. pic.twitter.com/gYxaDQXcIj
— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) October 8, 2020
The rhetoric is almost synonymous with what has seen cropping up during riots in cities like Portland, Seattle and Kenosha.
So this notion that President Trump served as an inspiration to the malefactors behind this alleged kidnapping plot is not only laughable – it appears as though it’s categorically false.
FBI shuts down plot to target and kill police in their homes, abduct Governor Whitmer
DETROIT, MI – According to the FBI, several individuals that reportedly enlisted the help of a militia group, planned to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer and overthrow the local government.
Luckily, the effort was quashed after federal agents arrested six individuals said to have been conspiring about the plan.
The six arrested were identified as Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta.
Breaking: The FBI thwarted what they described as a plot to violently overthrow the government and kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.https://t.co/uIpNgA7DUI
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) October 8, 2020
According to the court filing on Oct. 6, the FBI was made aware earlier in 2020 via social media that there were people entertaining the idea of overthrowing “certain government and law enforcement components.”
During this time, the FBI noted that “among those individuals identified were Croft and Fox,” and that they began discussing how to recruit others in this attempt.
By June 6, the affidavit claims that Croft and Fox arranged a meeting in Dublin, Ohio with 13 others to discuss creating a new “society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient.”
The group conferred on how to go about this desired utopia, discussing everything from peaceful measures “to violent actions.”
It was during this meeting that the FBI alleged that Governor Whitmer became the focus of ire from some present:
“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.”
Around this time, Fox had reached out to a “Michigan-based militia group” and began scheduling meetings with this group and others arrested over the following months.
These meetings included ideas on how to storm government facilities, attempts to craft IEDs, and the crafting of plans on how to deal with law enforcement during combative confrontations.
What Fox and the others didn’t know was that the FBI had already been monitoring this militia group – and had a confidential informant within the ranks:
“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.”
By June 14, Gov. Whitmer had become the focus of the alleged offenders arrested, according to the FBI. A recorded phone call obtained by a confidential informant was said to have featured Fox talking about needing “200 men” to overtake the Capitol building in Lansing, MI.
“Fox said he needed “200 men” to storm the Capitol building in Lansing, Michigan, and take hostages, including the Governor. Fox explained they would try the Governor of Michigan for ‘treason,’ and he said they would execute the plan before the November 2020 elections.”
On July 27, Fox was said to have began putting together a specific plan on how to abduct Governor Whitmer, wanting to pull off a “snatch and grab” when she was arriving or leaving any of her vacation homes.
Fox reportedly was explicit in his desire to abduct the governor, reportedly saying on July 27:
“Snatch and grab, man. Grab the fuckin’ Governor. Just grab the bitch. Because at that point, we do that, dude – it’s over.”
The plan was that after Governor Whitmer was kidnapped, she would be taken to a yet-to-be-determined “secure location” in Wisconsin to place her on “trial.”
By Aug. 9, after the group had met numerous times for tactical training and intended actions to take, Harris brought up the idea of murdering Gov. Whitmer:
“Have one person go to her house. Knock on the door and when she answers it just cap her . . . at this point. Fuck it. I mean . . . fuck, catch her walking into the building and act like a passers-by and fixing dome her then yourself whoever does it.”
Responding to the discussed plans of Aug. 9, Franks told the confidential informant in a follow-up chat that he was “in for anything”:
“OK sounds good I’m in for anything as long as it’s well planned.”
FBI thwarts militia plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Whitmer @TLAVagabond @_whitneywebb https://t.co/ozxhofdF07
— John Isaacson (@floodsandfish) October 8, 2020
Members of the group were said to have conducted surveillance on one of Gov. Whitmer’s vacation homes on Aug. 29, and also canvased local law enforcement stations to estimate police response times when storming the home.
During this surveillance, Fox reportedly stated:
“We ain’t gonna let ‘em burn our fuckin’ state down. I don’t give a fuck if there’s only 20 or 30 of us, dude, we’ll go out there and use deadly force.”
A bridge was found in the vicinity of Governor Whitmer’s vacation home, which Garbin suggested that if matters became dire during their operation, they should detonate the bridge.
On the evening of Sept. 12, Fox, Garbin, Croft, Franks, Harris, Caserta and others conducted a field training exercise to test IEDs, then began additional surveillance of the governor’s home. That evening, Fox told one of the informants that what was perceived as a vacation home of Gov. Whitmer’s was actually her primary residence.
“And it’s a perfect fuckin’ setup. Out of everywhere that she resides, this is the only one that’s probably actually feasible with a success rate.”
Further plans were discussed throughout September and an arrangement to buy tactical gear and explosives on Oct. 7 was in the works.
Apparently, that arranged buy never took place, as the FBI conducted several raids that day, arresting the alleged conspirators.
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