Two brothers charged in Whitmer plot photographed with guns at Capitol (I knew it.)

[catbyte]

October 8, 2020
Written by: Jonathan Oosting



At least two men charged in relation to an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer were among those who carried long guns inside the state Capitol earlier this year, officials confirmed.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office confirmed identical twins, William and Michael Null, both 38, were among those inside the Capitol for an anti-Whitmer rally April 30 and were photographed standing in a gallery above the Senate.

Nessel alleges the brothers are among seven members of the “Wolverine Watchmen” militia group who she charged Thursday with crimes under the state’s anti-terrorism act.

Nessel alleged the members of the group called on militia members to identify the homes of law enforcement officers to target them, made threats of violence to instigate a "civil war" and trained for an operation to attack the Capitol and kidnap officials, including Whitmer.

https://www.bridgemi.com/michigan-government/two-brothers-charged-whitmer-plot-photographed-guns-capitol

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"Such Good People. They're just angry."

The President of the United States is a terrorist and he must be stopped on November 3. We need to sweep him out of office in a landslide. He needs to be humiliated. Then he needs to be arrested, indicted, and jailed.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. In a way, this "militia" is the logical outgrowth of

Cliven Bundy and his ilk. It starts with a sort of adverse possession of federal land (private claims over public land) and it morphs into government without democracy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bundy_standoff

[2naSalit]

5. +1

[Ferrets are Cool]

6. They are terrorists

PERIOD

[wnylib]

11. RW hate groups and militias are older than Bundy.

They have been around for as long as I can remember, and I am 71. In the past, they were always fringe groups. Trump has brought them into the mainstream.

[certainot]

24. but 30 years ago 1500 radio stations were gathered into a messaging monopoly that

has been allowed to create an alternate reality in which these guys are considered heroes, as well as help the NRA arm them with military weaponry

trump just personifies what a few hundred limbaugh led and putin fed blowhards have beeen allowed to spew with little or no recognition and pushback from the left

there is a difference between the marginalized minorities of the past and a country in which 40 states with 80 senators are baked in excuses for racism and 4 years ago started screaming about a deep state coup by communist democrats

a few weeks ago the liar limbaugh told 20 mil that BLM protestors in portland "executed a trump supporter" and "cheered and danced". they're dittohead terrorists

guys like glenn beck are fucking nuts on 100s of radio stations warning of a communist destruction of the US, civil war, etc. turn on the local stations - that's where the calls for disruption of election process will come from

all that continues to be supported by 87+ universities (that broadcast sports on 260+ limbaugh stations) and many pro sports teams and 1000s of advertisers - including michigan state 11 and uni of mich 7 broadcasting on 18 limbaugh stations - all of them have been attacking whitmer and michiganders have a way to get her back - get those unis to stop broadcasting sports on radio stations that deny covid and global warming and make excuses for trump - they're crapping on their own mission statements.

[wnylib]

37. You're preaching to the choir. I was not

Downplaying these groups when I said they have been around forever as fringe groups. They are dangerous, and, as I said, Trump et.al. have brought them into the mainstream - with the help of media.

[certainot]

38. now they have a physical specimen, a manly guy with hair they can look up to!

[wnylib]

40. Retch.

[Klaralven]

19. More likely an outgrowth of Posse Comitatus, especially since they were planning to go to WI

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_(organization)

[jmowreader]

25. Not really

This group, Bundy’s group, and the rest of Trump’s supporters have their beginnings in several groups.

The first is the Ku Klux Klan. Yes folks, the root of this evil is the Klan.

Then came Christian Identity, which got going good in the late 1940s.

Follow that up with the Posse Comitatus movement, which says (among other things) the sheriff is the only legitimate government official in any county. (Part of the reason many of “these people” have moved to Alaska is Alaska has no sheriffs, so they believe Alaska has no government.) They worked alongside the Detaxers.

Then came the big turning-point group, Montana Freemen. One of them got his farm foreclosed on for not making payments, so they declared it a sovereign nation and claimed banks had no authority over them. If you go deep enough into YouTube, you’ll discover the Freedom to Travel cult, who believes the US Constitution gives them the right to drive without licenses. The FTT people all carry a document citing court cases they believe “prove” they have the right to drive without a license; Rodney Skurdal of the Montana Freemen wrote it. (Just so you know, when Skurdal himself tried using this document to prove he didn’t need a license to “travel,” the Montana Supreme Court told him he was full of crap.)

There are several religious-themed groups like the Branch Davidians, the People’s Temple and the Aryan Nations.

[PufPuf23]

35. Bundy et al should have been treated much more severely. nt

[BeckyDem]

2. I remain stunned by this. Trump has set into motion a danger unprecedented in U.S. politics.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I don't recall anything like this before. These types have been unhinged before him, but he is not the catalyst?

[meadowlander]

41. Here's what their philosophical forebearers were up to:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oklahoma_City_bombing

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/16th_Street_Baptist_Church_bombing

[BeckyDem]

42. +1. And now a U.S. president to fuel more violence.

[LastDemocratInSC]

3. Null - perfect surnames for right wingers.

[Baitball Blogger]

4. They were allowed to take their protests into the building armed with guns.

That was a dry run. That was white privilege.

And it was only when they were ready to attack that they got rounded up.

[UpInArms]

7. Others involved ...

CNN has obtained the mugshots for five of the six suspects indicted by federal officials for plotting to kidnap the Governor of Michigan. They were held at the Kent County jail facilities prior to their arraignment. Top row left to right: Adam Fox, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks. Bottom row left to right: Daniel Harris, Brandon Caserta.

[SergeStorms]

18. Well there you go ladies!

Take your pick, they're all "real men" straight from the forests of upper Michigan.

[flibbitygiblets]

34. Looks like their family tree is shaped more like a wreath

[SergeStorms]

46. Good one!

Yeah, they certainly came from the shallow end of the gene pool, didn't they?

[mitch96]

8. I hope these nutjobs realize then next "rally" will be infiltrated with FBi and State Police.. nt

[roamer65]

9. There won't be another rally at our capitol.

Not with what just happened.

[yaesu]

10. and will the SP let this happen again knowing what they planned? Probably. nt

[Botany]

12. "Wolverine Watchmen"

As if any of those guys could pass the military's basic fitness standards.

[Efilroft Sul]

14. I loved Rachel Maddow's aside comment when she read this group's name aloud last night.

"Fantasize much?"

[dlk]

13. There's no sane reason to permit open carry at the Michigan capitol

Especially when children are often visiting. Sign are illegal there. Guns should be too. Open carry only encourages bad behavior, as we’ve seen.

[Thunderbeast]

15. Does no one remember the OK City bombing?

Co-conspirator Terry Nichols was active in Michigan Militia groups.

Grievance runs deep in Michigan. It has long been a fertile recruiting territory for the right-wing fringe.

[wnylib]

28. Yup. And McVeigh was not

a flabby, couch potato revolutionary. He was ex military, physically fit and well trained.

Michigan is not alone. Used to be that Idaho and Montana were well known as centers for some RW mililitias. Now they can be found everywhere, incluuding in rural areas of my blue state of NY. Check out the map of hate groups at .lthe SPLC website. And they don't include all of the militias and offshoots.

Not strong or united enough to take over the nation with their terrorism tactics. Many are not smart enough, either. But they can terrorize, murder people, and burn down or explode buildings. If their opponents physically fight back, there could be some bloody confrontations. They would love that.

[RobinA]

31. Yep, Had McVeigh

used his powers for good and not evil he could have been a contributor to society. Unlike most of these lumps of humanity.

[RobinA]

32. Yep, Had McVeigh

used his powers for good and not evil he could have been a contributor to society. Unlike most of these lumps of humanity.

[Paladin]

16. Anybody else getting a twitch when encountering unknown guys with beards?

Beards are getting to be as much a part of the militia uniform as camo gear and assault rifles. I shaved mine off years ago, long before sexually-inadequate douchebags like the Wolverine Watchmen slimed their way onto the scene. I hope these scumbags are convicted and spend the rest of their miserable lives in prison. Good job, FBI.

[catbyte]

20. Yep. They all look alike. Look at this clown:

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/michigan-man-in-now-famous-capitol-protest-photo-i-didn-t-scream-in-anybody-s-face/ar-BB13EcpT

[cayugafalls]

21. I have a beard and refuse to shave it off just because...I know you mean no ill.

I like it and will keep it. I've had it since I was 17, so, not coming off for anyone.

Peace

[flibbitygiblets]

36. In Portland, every other hipster doofus has a beard and they are anything but intimidating

Maybe it's the combo of the beard and the throwback clothing. It's like they're all auditioning for some turn of the century play.

[Paladin]

39. No problem, it's a personal issue for our side.

It's just a shame that the fascists have co-opted the look. I don't like their taste in rifles either, but I've done enough arguing over that subject here at DU, over the years.

[greblach]

53. Yay Beards

The best part about a beard is that it provides a cushion when gazing into the fridge...don't have one presently, but they are absolutely comfortable...

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. These are the people trump tweeted "liberate Michigan"

[wnylib]

30. They are his "fine people."

[Buckeyeblue]

22. I'm glad we are charging them with state crimes.

It Keeps Trump out of the mix.

Republican legislators owe Whitmer an apology. They can start by voting to extend her covid orders. That would help show some state unity. They won't do this. But they should.

[LiberalBrooke]

23. They are terrorists. Please use that word to describe them.

They are not Malitia’s.

[wnylib]

33. Militias can be terrorists. They often are.

In post WWI, there were "law and order" militias all over Germany. Some sincerely tried to bring civil order in the chaos after the war. Many were bands of ex military, looking for enemies to fight, which had become their identity and pride. Adolf was associated with some of them in the first years after the armistice.

[jmowreader]

26. I kinda suspect after this revelation...

...that the law allowing open carry of long guns in populated areas will be repealed in the next session.

[catbyte]

49. The Capitol Commission, which is populated with spineless republicans, refuses to ban weapons

from the State Capitol. It's insane.

No weapons ban at the Michigan Capitol. For now, at least.

Carol Thompson
Lansing State Journal
Sept 24, 2020



LANSING — Michigan Capitol Commissioners failed to pass two proposals to ban or limit weapons at the Capitol on Monday, meaning guns continue to be allowed inside the building.

Armed protesters entered the Capitol during a demonstration against Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's coronavirus shutdowns in late April. Since then, the commission charged with overseeing the Capitol grounds has grappled with whether they should act.

On Monday, Commissioner Joan Bauer called for a total weapons ban, which would have allowed security, law enforcement and legislators to carry guns but prohibited armed members of the public from coming inside. Only Bauer and commissioner Kerry Chartkoff supported it.

Second was a proposal from Commissioner William Kandler to ban the open carry of weapons. It failed with a tie vote, 3-3, with Kandler the only one switching sides.

snip

https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2020/09/14/michigan-capitol-commission-reviewing-weapons-ban-guns-armed-protest/5791190002/

[Dukkha]

27. federal ban on open carry now!

Intimidating the public with threats of deadly force is disturbing the peace, inciting a riot, and above all an act of terror.

[Greybnk48]

29. They were there recruiting! Rachel Maddow reported this last night!

Several of them, if not all of them, were there recruiting people to join them, according to the A.G. on Rachel's show. That was the first anyone knew for sure it was the same people.

It seems they were and are emboldened when they're permitted to be threatening on the streets and in the Capitol buildings. How about we end the right to strut around with AR15's in public in the near future?

[DFW]

43. Their name is really "Null?"

That’s a great name for a couple of Neo-Nazis to have.

“Null” is the German word for”zero.”

[Cha]

48. Thanks, I caught that name too as in "null & void".

[flying_wahini]

44. LOCK THEM UP.

[Bigredhunk]

45. Shocker

Then you have the morons like riechbart trying to pretend these militia freaks are liberals (they have an anarchy sign in the background, so Antifa or something).

[Cha]

47. TY.. How the Terrorists Got Caught.. I was interested in this..

The FBI said the Michigan militia group had already been on its radar because its members had attempted in March to acquire the home addresses of local law enforcement officers with the goal of attacking or killing them.

The agency said it collected information about the kidnapping plot from informants and undercover agents. Over the summer, the conspirators allegedly began training for a potential attack on Whitmer's vacation home or the governor's official summer residence, according to a criminal complaint released Thursday.

Fox discussed the kidnapping in a recording from late July, the complaint says: "Snatch and grab, man. Grab the f*****' Governor. Just grab the b****. Because at that point, we do that, dude — it's over."

After abducting Whitmer, Fox allegedly said, the governor would be taken to a secure location in Wisconsin for "trial," according to the complaint.

https://www.npr.org/2020/10/08/921655143/militia-members-plotted-to-abduct-michigan-gov-whitmer-fbi-says

Bet the head Terrorist is seething the FBI foiled their heinous plans.

[catbyte]

50. I'm sure those sick fucks were getting off fantasizing what they were going to do to

Governor Whitmer after they kidnapped her. It makes me sick just thinking about it. It makes me even sicker knowing that my state produced those goddamned lowlifes. Pardon my French.

[Cha]

51. I can imagine how sick it

makes you!

Thank Goodness they got Caught!

[flying_wahini]

52. LOCK THEM UP.