5 Things To Know About Plot To Kidnap Michigan's Governor

MICHIGAN — Authorities announced Thursday that they had foiled a largescale plan to kidnap and potentially kill Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Below are five takeaways from federal charging documents and affidavits that detail the plot and various ways the group discussed kidnapping the governor.

The 13 People Accused In The Plot Are From Across Michigan, With One Hailing From Delaware

Thirteen people were accused in the plot to kidnap Whitmer that federal authorities said they foiled. Officials said Thursday that the men involved were from communities spread across the state, including Belleville, Cadillac, Canton, Charlotte, Clarkston, Grand Rapids, Luther, Munith, Orion Township, Ovid, Portage, Shelby Township and Waterford.

One of those accused in the plot, Barry Croft, was from Delaware, officials said.

Read More: Here's What We Know About The Men Accused In Plot Against Whitmer

The group called itself the 'Wolverine Watchmen' and wanted to incite Civil War

The “Wolverine Watchmen” is a militia group who recruited members using a social
media platform, Facebook, beginning in November 2019, according to an affidavit.

Once recruited, members communicated through encrypted messaging platforms. The group would meet for field training exercises and firearms trainings to prepare for the "boogaloo," a term referencing a violent uprising against the government or impending politically-motivated civil war, officials said.

Read More: Michigan GOP, Dem Legislators React To Governor Kidnapping Plot

Authorities Discovered the plot through social media and informants

Federal authorities became aware of the conspiracy to kidnap Whitmer in early 2020 through social media, according to the records. Much of the information obtained in the 15-page federal charging document came from an informant wearing a wire, records show.

While some of the members involved, such as Adam Fox of Grand Rapids, took measures to ensure they weren't monitored, an informant wearing a wire recorded several meetings where the group discussed their plans to kidnap Whitmer, officials said.

Read More: Michigan Militia Members Accused In Plot To Kidnap, Kill Whitmer

The group discussed several ways to kidnap and even kill Whitmer

The group discussed several ways to kidnap the governor, including ways to kill her, according to authorities.

Croft and Fox discussed detonating explosive devices at the M-31 highway bridge as a way to divert police from the area of the governor's vacation home when they planned to kidnap her from the home, according to documents.

Fox told other members he planned to attack the Capitol and asked them to "combine forces," according to documents. At one point, documents show, he discussed needing "200 men" to storm the Capitol building in Lansing, taking hostages.

On July 27, Fox and an informant discussed a "snatch and grab" plan to kidnap the governor when she was arriving at or leaving her personal vacation home, documents show.

Daniel Harris suggested to the group that they "have one person go to her house. Knock on the door and when she answers it just cap her," according to federal documents, referring to Whitmer.

Read More: Whitmer Cites Trump While Addressing Militia Kidnapping Plot

Whitmer and her family were kept informed, but moved around

Whitmer and her family were moved from location to location at times by authorities as law enforcement tracked the groups plotting to kidnap her, according to The Associated Press.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Friday that Whitmer was consistently updated about the investigation over the past couple months.

“She was aware of things that were happening," Nessel was quoted as saying in an Associated Press story. "At times, she and her family had been moved around as a result of activities that law enforcement was aware of.”

Read More: Trump Attacks Whitmer After She Blames Him For Kidnapping Plot

Information and reporting from The Associated Press contributed to this report.