Bizarre, Criminal law, Justice, Politics

Whitmer Lashes Out At Barr Over Kidnapping Plot Despite The FBI Uncovering The Plot And The DOJ Prosecuting The Plotters

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer was the target this month of a plot of extremists to kidnap her and storm the state capitol.  After the arrests of the primary suspects, Whitmer lashed about at President Donald Trump for failing to condemn right wing violence. That is certainly a common criticism. However, Whitmer also attacked Attorney General Bill Barr and suggested that he knew about the plot.  It was a curious attack since the FBI uncovered the plot and the DOJ is prosecuting the plot. There is no indication that the DOJ was delaying action. To the contrary, it acted to thwart the plot and protect Whitmer.  The other question is why would Barr lie about his knowledge?  To what logical end? He was not asked about any threats but specifically if he knew about signs and statements made a protest in Lansing, Michigan in June — a protest that was under state, not federal, jurisdiction.

On October 6, 2020, Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta were arrested by the FBI on the charge that they conspired to kidnap the Governor from her vacation home in the Western District of Michigan.  The plot was uncovered by a FBI undercover agent. A total of 13 individuals have now been arrested by the FBI.  It is a reminder of the threat posed by extreme right-wing groups in this country. Such right-wing attacks still account for a largely majority of such violent attacks, as discussed in my testimony in the Senate.  The FBI has made right-wing extremism a priority for investigation and prosecution for years.

Notably, this was a mixed group of right-wing extremists and at least one anarchist who hated Donald Trump.

What confused me was the Barr statement. Yesterday on CNN, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel cited Barr’s testimony to Congress in July and suggested that he committed perjury in denying knowledge of threats during the June protests in the state Capitol against Whitmer.  I am familiar with that exchange because I criticized the questioning by Rep. Pramila Jayapal and her colleagues. The Democratic members would ask questions and then prevent Barr from answering by immediately reclaiming their time.  This is the exchange:

Barr was specifically asked about the protest that had just occurred in Lansing, Michigan. That was a protest handled by state authorities under state law. He had no role in the protest nor did the federal government. Barr tried to say that this was the same period when he was focused on violent protests around the White House and was not involved with the state protests in Michigan. Jayapal however would not let him explain. Any reasonable person would balk at this one-sided diatribe as the basis for charging that the Attorney General is a felon and perjurer.

What was also curious about Jayapal’s statement was that she was chiding Barr for not being involved in a state protest when she and others criticized the intervention of the federal government in other protests in cities like Portland.  In Portland, the federal government was protecting a federal courthouse from arson and rioting.  In Lansing, there was no federal involvement or interest.  Moreover, she denounced all of the protesters for ignoring stay at home orders while Jayapal has supported and participated in even larger BLM protests.

What did fall under federal jurisdiction was any actual plot for violent acts against Whitmer or others.  That was what the DOJ discovered and stopped.

It is entirely possible that Barr was unaware of specific signs and statements cited by Jayapal by protesters in a protest in Lansing, Michigan. He may or may not have been aware of this investigation, though he clearly would not discuss such an undercover operation.  Yet, that was not the question. The question concerned statements and signs at that particular protest and Barr was saying that he did not have authority or involvement in such a state protest in Michigan. I would assume that Barr was made aware at some time of the undercover operation. Indeed, during this same period, Barr and FBI Director Wray were publicly discussing the targeting of right-wing extremist groups and they both acknowledged the involvement of such groups in violent protests.

Moreover, the arrests show that, under Barr, the crackdown on right-wing groups has continued and that the DOJ and FBI acted to protect Whitmer. Barr has denounced the plot against Whitmer as “abhorrent.”

Under federal law, each of original six arrestees face terms up to life in prison, if convicted.

I realize that everything in politics today must be a deep conspiracy on the left or right.  It is not enough to disagree with one another. We must now declare the opposing party a criminal. In this case, Whitmer is denounced an Attorney General whose department just uncovered a plot and protected her from harm.

105 thoughts on “Whitmer Lashes Out At Barr Over Kidnapping Plot Despite The FBI Uncovering The Plot And The DOJ Prosecuting The Plotters”

    1. Evan McMullin (conservative 2016 Independent presidential candidate):
      “To those stilll serving in Trump’s administration or supporting him, some will say that you’re too late, but I don’t think so. Not yet. Join the coalition of the decent and help us build a brighter future for all Americans. I’ll proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”

      Elizabeth Neumann (former Trump Admin staff):
      “I agree, It’s not too late. @MilesTaylorUSA @JohnMitnick @OliviaTroye & I are available to discuss exit strategies. We’ve secured top-tier pro bono legal counsel to assist you. There is life beyond trumpism. Come help us build a hopeful future, not one based on fear & division.”

      The other 3 people Neumann mentions are also former high level Trump Admin staff.

      There are more Republicans speaking out against Trump than I’ve ever seen speak against their own party’s candidate.
      There are more former staffers speaking out against the President they worked for than I’ve ever seen.

      I hope people who are still undecided will listen. (I’m sometimes astounded that anyone is undecided. I think Trump is clearly a malignant narcissist and a dangerous choice, but I accept that lots of people don’t see it that way.)

      1. It was because we didn’t like these people that we voted for Trump and will do again. There are too many spineless professional Republicans.

        1. The Republicans opposing Trump ARE the Republicans with spines!

          Trump is spineless and surrounds himself with spineless Republicans like Graham and Ratcliffe. Did Trump stand up to dictators like Kim Jong Un? No, they had a bromance and yesterday NK unveiled a giant new intercontinental ballistic missile.

          One choice for President is endorsed by the Klan, Confederates, Proud Boys, White Supremacists, neo-Nazis, domestic terrorists, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, and the Taliban. The other isn’t. This should be a simple choice for patriotic Americans, unless they’re blinded by hate for the libs like you are.

          1. Trump didn’t send planeloads of cash to Korea the way Obama did with Iran.

            I would be a little skeptical of NK’s giant new missile. Many of their less complex missiles have performed badly.

            “Trump is spineless”? Tell that to ISIS that Obama let grow into a menace. Most people attacking Trump avoid ‘spineless’. He terrifies them because he has a steel spine. Really, you should know that.

            1. Obama didn’t send planeloads of cash to Iran. If you can’t be honest about Obama agreeing with a number of other countries to unfreeze Iran’s own assets, this is a pointless discussion.

              Yes, Trump is spineless. He said that DC was a swamp, but he let Mitch McConnell and stock-dumping, ultra-far right GOP Senators write his entire domestic agenda. He plays footsie with dictators like Kim Jong Un and Putin. Our military has done about the same fighting ISIS under Trump as they did under Obama. Half of the ISIS territory was taken before Trump took office and half after he took office.

              Biden and Harris don’t support burning and looting. That’s happening under Trump and he’s so antagonistic and incompetent that instead of helping cities deal with it effectively, he let Wolf and others use federal forces in ways that made things worse. Biden has condemned it repeatedly and would be able to work with cities more effectively.

                  1. I didn’t remember that that was sent by plane. It was still Iran’s money: $400M they’d paid for military equipment that was never delivered, plus decades of interest, and your video says it was sent as cash because Iran was disconnected from the global economy, which would have allowed electronic transfer. You’re seriously griping about Obama returning money we owed them?
                    It was settled at The Hague: https://2009-2017.state.gov/secretary/remarks/2016/01/251338.htm
                    Would you rather that he sent them the military equipment they’d paid us for?

                    1. Hitler was owed royalties for copies of Mein Kampf sold in the US during the war. They weren’t paid to him.

                      People had more sense then.

                      How much does Iran owe us for killing Americans in the Khobar Towers? How much for the killings of Americans in Beirut? How much for the killings of Americans in Iraq?

                      Yes, I do object to Obama’s shipping planeloads of cash to an enemy sworn to destroy us and who has already killed many Americans. They are maintaining a proxy war against us and you want to send them more ammo. And Obama did.

              2. How many billions of $ in cash did Obama send to Iran? Paper weighs a lot. It was so heavy forklifts were needed to move it.

                1. Yes, the cash was bundled and strapped on pallets and then forklifts moved it into the bays of cargo planes. Then they flew to Iran. Disgraceful. I forget how many billions were sent and don’t feel like looking it up, but it was a lot of cash to deliver to people who chant Death to America. I have to wonder now if some of that Obama cash is making it’s way back to Antifa, BLM, and Democrats. It’s the type of investment the mullahs like to make in causing trouble.

          2. One choice supports the rabble burning and looting our cities like barbarian savages. That would be Kamala and Joe.

      2. Commissar Kamala Harris will be ensconced as the next president by the Deep Deep State.

        You and your communist comrades can exit the Turley blog now; all of you communist trolls sent for this election.

        I have no doubt that your incessant, convoluted, hysterical and incoherent rantings turned the tide for the very barren, incomplete, purposeless and, shall we say, “close” friend of Willy Brown, Comrade Kamala Harris.

        You all deserve a raise and a promotion from your Dear Leader, She Joke Ping (jeez, imagine the check Hunter is going to get!).

        Your work here is done.

  3. For those who are interested, here’s Amy Coney Barrett’s opening statement:
    https://www.npr.org/sections/live-amy-coney-barrett-supreme-court-confirmation/2020/10/11/922453657/amy-coney-barretts-opening-statement-in-her-confirmation-hearing

    I hope she’s questioned about why she omitted multiple abortion-rights-related items from her Senate questionnaire and then had to submit a supplement after news reports identified the omissions:
    https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/09/politics/kfile-amy-coney-barrett-roe-v-wade-talks/index.html
    Maybe if the Republicans weren’t trying to rush this through, her questionnaire would have been complete.

    I hope she’s also questioned about why she thinks ex-felons can be excluded as a class when it comes to voting rights, but when it comes to their gun rights, the government has to assess restrictions individually. She said this in her Kanter v Barr dissent, which she highlighted on her form.

    Meanwhile, Lindsey Graham, who chairs the SJC, refused to get a COVID test and used that as an excuse to not debate his opponent on Friday night. What’s Graham hiding? Multiple committee members

  4. It turns out that Robert Dolloff, the security guard who shot the pro-police demonstrator in Denver has a radical leftist social media history and has been arrested before.

    He was a poor choice to send into a demonstration like this while armed.

    One wonders what liability may attach to the news organization that hired him to or the security company, if any, that was his ultimate employer. The victim of the homicide may have family interested in discovering their legal options.

    1. More videos are surfacing. I am beginning to wonder if the reporter with his security guard was trying to stir up trouble for the film at 11 and it got out of hand with the volatile guard.

      Dolloff has now been linked at least passingly with Occupy Wall Street, Bernie, and Antifa. He doesn’t like police but now he is going to deal with a lot of them.

      Just a suggestion, if you are as angry as this man appears to be from his media comments, don’t carry a weapon to any demonstration. In the heat of the moment you may do something that will ruin or end your life. Stay home, relax, and read a book instead of watching the ‘news”.

  5. Of course Trump can pardon them. What’s wrong Turley, did the FBI take away the free speech rights of domestic terrorists? Look for Barr to dismantle the case.

  7. Maybe the FBI should have waited until after the crime was committed and then got them for murder and kidnapping ?

    1. I have decided there must be someone whose job is to review anything involving a Republican. The task is to twist everything said into a negative. Michigan Gov is a classic example. She was protected in every way. Holding back informing her might have given someone in her offices a leak (leaking is how Democrats can let sensitive info open to the media and then criticize Republicans. I’m sure there are decent Democrats, I’ve known some. But I wish they would complain to the party it doesn’t smell good. My first vote was 1964. That’s 40 years ago. My parents were Dems. This isn’t their party and they would be anxious about their current party’s constant lying.

    2. Possibly the FBI went with what it had just before the election to try to smear the President.

  8. so let me get this straight.

    the FIB and the department of JUST US can move to arrest in double time swiftness a group of anarchists (notice the flags!)..for attempts to overthrow a political elected official

    but can’t seem interested at to drop a single indictment, not one arrest, for what IS THE MOST VIOLENT DIRECT CONSPIRACY AND COUP INVOLVING THEIR OWN PEOPLE against a presidential candidate AND a legitimately elected President, one and the same.

    in fact Barr has directed that main conspirators NOT BE PROSECUTED…let them retire with benefits … except the one who was NOT CHARGED with doctoring a fisa app..he was ALLOWED to plea before any charges drawn to what amounts to misdeamenor… an administrative violation for all legal percussions.

    Barr is telling you thry truth..he isn’t hiding it..believe him… he’s not going to prosecute political silos…

    here is some advice for anarchists, conspirators, and violent.miiitia.

    you need cover… call complete.immunity for serious crimes?

    here are two demonstrably successful strstegies:

    a. run for office (here’s looking at you Hillary AND Biden!)
    or,
    b. join the FBI or DOJ.

    one cannot simply walk into mordor.

  9. Clip Turley Linked Is Oddly Short

    The above column links a CBS Detroit clip featuring one of it’s reporters interviewing Governor Whitmer. The latter is being asked if she thinks A.G. Barr was sufficiently concerned about militia activity in Michigan.

    Whitmer answers “No”, and the clip promptly ends. Which leads us to wonder ‘why’ the clip cuts so abruptly. Like, “What didn’t Turley want us to see?”

    1. Turley has perfected the “Barr Summary Rule” only tell what you what them to know, nothing more and not the whole story.

  10. First, and foremost, I am glad that the kidnapping plot was foiled before Whitmer was hurt. Let justice be served on all involved.

    “Whitmer lashed about at President Donald Trump for failing to condemn right wing violence.” I don’t think any president in US history has ever denounced racism or white supremacy as often as President Donald Trump. There are montages going around Youtube. If it were a drinking game, where you had to down a shot every time he denounced racism, you’d die of alcohol poisoning.

    Most of the violence is Left wing. Any attempt to deny it is gaslighting the American public, roughly half of which is quite willing to be lied to. President Trump has also repeatedly denounced right wing violence. He has said he hates all violence.

    Efforts to pretend that the burning, looting, and rioting are being perpetrated mainly by the right wing, trying to pin it on the Left, is pure desperation, and a malicious falsehood. I am shocked at how frequently, and successfully, the Left does something wrong, but blames the right for it – collude with Russia, not accept the results of the election, want to tear down parts of the Constitution, widespread violence, and threaten to burn down government if their Supreme Court demands aren’t met. All that is the Left. But with the complicity of the media, they blame the right for their own actions. I’d be fascinated if they weren’t so successful at it.

    “However, Whitmer also attacked Attorney General Bill Barr and suggested that he knew about the plot.” Are Democrats ever going to be held accountable for lodging serious, false accusations against this administration? Will the media ever be called to account for behaving like propaganda machines instead of journalists?

    It appears that massive BLM and anti-Trump protests, and Democrat rallies magically repel Covid-19, while any protest or rally anywhere at all on the right spectrum attracts Covid-19. Isn’t it grand when science becomes subverted by Machiavellian politics?

    Who’s going to explain to Whitmer that the Democrat push to defund police and ease the way for criminals is going to make such crimes commonplace? She is appalled at her own near miss, but supports “the spirit” of defunding police. She is endangering her own constituents, while she enjoyed protection.

    1. Excellent commentary, Karen! I would also point out that, in addition to the Trump-hating anarchist, the kidnappers included one BLM protester, distressed by Greorge Floyd’s death. Interesting, also, that this “far-right-extremist” group was entirely unknown to law enforcement prior to this.

      Other than adding these thoughts, I agree with every word.

    2. Karen, I object to people “lodging serious, false accusations against” others, regardless of who they are.

      Why do you only ask “Are Democrats ever going to be held accountable for lodging serious, false accusations against this administration?” while you’re silent about whether Republicans are ever going to be held accountable for lodging serious, false accusations against Democrats? For example, Trump has accused lots of Democrats of treason. That’s a serious and false accusation. Do you think Trump should be held accountable for that? What would being held accountable look like?

      “It appears that massive BLM and anti-Trump protests, and Democrat rallies magically repel Covid-19, while any protest or rally anywhere at all on the right spectrum attracts Covid-19.”

      Nope, no one is magically protected from COVID-19. Being outside makes it somewhat less likely that you’ll contract it if a carrier is shedding virus near you, but it also depends on other things, such as whether people are wearing masks, how close together they’re spaced, whether they’re yelling, etc.

      “Defunding” the police is a stupid term. It’s counterproductive, because it’s prone to misinterpretation. I don’t know why people took it up rather than a term that better describes the goal. Almost no one argues that there shouldn’t be any police. What people are arguing is that some of the funds going to the police would be better spent in other ways, such as on social/psych intervention teams. The police aren’t well-trained to intervene with many non-violent concerns, which are the majority of police calls.

      Here’s a decent discussion: https://www.brookings.edu/blog/fixgov/2020/06/19/what-does-defund-the-police-mean-and-does-it-have-merit/

      1. CTHD: “For example, Trump has accused lots of Democrats of treason. That’s a serious and false accusation.”
        ***
        Not really. Because few people actually know the legal requirements to be met before an actual case of treason can be made, the expression has taken on a different and very common colloquial use. Anyone can use it even when knowing the formal definition without abusing the language or the law.

        I think this is a subtle dishonesty on your part. You are precise enough with language to know very well that Trump was using the term colloquially yet you chose to argue that he was using it technically to fashion yet another slur on him. That is not honest.

        But, perhaps it would have been more accurate, but less colorful and colloquial, if Trump had only said that Democrats were seditious.

  11. Reports are that Antifa fascists and BLM Marxists cheered when a pro-police demonstrator was shot dead in Denver.

    They sound like wretched human beings, but then they have been in ages past.

  12. Let me first congratulate you on reaching your latest audience milestone–but I hope you are not offended if I note how offensive your comments are–You seem to totally ignore Mr Trump’s rhetoric–and you seem to forget that the FBI and the Department of Justice Work for the American People. Who cares if the anarchists hated Donald Trump? Do two wrongs make a right? I do hope, one of these days, you or your contributors write about the nonsense that guys like Mike Lee have noted (No Democracy) or the constant nonsense the likes of Ted Cruz or other principled Constitutionalist (that I guess you seem to be). Good luck in all your endeavors.

  13. “One of 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.” Wa Po.

    At least three of the six indicted revealed to be anti-Trumpers. Given how well anti-Trumpers and pro-Trumpers get along at parties it is hard to imagine that the remaining three have widely different views. They appear to be anarchist leaning knuckleheads who would be Play-Doh in the hands of an experienced FBI provocateur. White terror crimes seem a lot like hate crimes–the demand far exceeds the supply.

    1. Yet the play is to pin this on Trump and the Republican party.

      It’s difficult for the truth to fight lies, when the media exponentially propagates those lies.

      1. The media is now an enemy of the truth. They prefer narrative, not minding if it is false, not apologizing when caught out.

        I liked your comment above at 2:37. Well thought and well said.

  15. It was really a good thing that the FBI uncovered the plot to kidnap Whitless. It struck me that the kidnapers would have found themselves in the same situation that Sam and Bill Driscoll were in when they kidnaped Johnny Dorset in O.Henry’s short story the “Ransom of Red Chief”. If you don’t recall how the story goes there’s both a book and movie.

  16. Apparent ANTIFA ((just an idea) shot someone dead in Denver hours ago.

    Democrats have been stirring this hate and bailing out street criminals. This is not the Democrat party of the past.

  18. Are you sure they were right wing extremists plotting the kidnapping? I thought the leader of the group despised Trump and was a BLM supporter. Was I misinformed about that?

    1. If you say which one you’re calling the leader, we can see whether you’re misinformed.

Comments are closed.