Some of the 14 men arrested so far are linked to an obscure paramilitary group known as Wolverine Watchmen and several have ties to an anti-government ideology known as … Reuters was able to confirm the individuals facing state charges were not part of Antifa or Black Lives Matter. “Your heroic efforts have left the people of this state safer and the instruments of our government stronger. Among other forms of social-media fueled extremism, the Wolverine Watchmen reportedly subscribed to the 4chan-rooted boogaloo movement, … Gretchen Whitmer for using the hero’s name as … Evidence points to this being false. Michael Null, 38, of Plainwell: Providing material support for terrorist acts – a 20-year felony and/or $20,000 fine; and The FBI accuses them of agreeing to “unite others in their case and take violent action against multiple state governments that they believe are violating the U.S. Constitution.”. Members of the "Wolverine Watchmen" were among those arrested in the plot to kidnap Gov. A person cleans up debris from a broken window at a home FBI agents searched in Hartland Township mobile home park late Wednesday night and into Thursday morning in connection of a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, on October 8, 2020 in Heartland, Michigan. One count each of gang membership, a 20-year felony that may be served as a consecutive sentence; One count each of providing material support for terrorist acts; and one count each for carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served consecutively. A senior federal law enforcement official said authorities believe the “Wolverine Watchmen” ideology differs from a conventional militia group. Seven additional men associated with the group “Wolverine Watchmen” were charged in state court for planning to storm the Michigan capitol building and inciting a “civil war.” “Ultimately, participants of these trainings and meetings, led by Michigan resident Adam Fox, went on to engage in a plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan by the November 2020 national election,” the affidavit alleges. After its premiere on HBO Sunday, more than 1,000 users have taken to Rotten Tomatoes (more than 5,000 on IMDB) to review Watchmen, where it currently has a … According to the affidavit, the “Wolverine Watchmen” is a militia group “who recruited members using a social media platform, Facebook, since November 2019. Carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served consecutively. “These groups often seek to recruit new members by seizing on a moment of civil unrest and using it to advance their agenda of self-reliance and armed resistance. Though it is true that one of the defendants in the alleged kidnapping plot attended a Black Lives Matter demonstration over the summer, the group’s overarching ideology adheres to that of the militant anti-government (and largely understood as right-wing) boogaloo movement. Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, and an individual from Wisconsin are accused of traveling to the vicinity of the vacation home, recording surveillance footage. At one point, several members talked about state governments they were believed were violating the U.S. Constitution, including the government of Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer.”, The complaint alleges some of the men discussed attacking a Michigan state police facility and Garbin is accused of suggesting shooting up the governor’s vacation home. During these trainings, specific training was provided for members to learn and practice tactical maneuvers. Examples of posts making this claim can be found here , here , and here . Carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served consecutively. The following individuals were charged by Attorney General Nessel and face the following accusations: Paul Bellar, 21, of Milford: He wanted to try the governor for “treason” before the November 2020 elections, the complaint says. The widow of Wolverine co-creator and “Watchmen” editor Len Wein blasted a Michigan extremist group accused of plotting to kidnap Gov. The affidavit gives more details on the alleged plot against Whitmer, the Democratic Michigan governor. An affidavit in the case … Federal authorities are cracking down on anti-government groups and local cells like the Wolverine Watchmen, which is accused of plotting to kidnap and … Shawn Fix, 38, of Belleville: Powered by. An affidavit in the case says the Wolverine Watchmen are “an anti-government, anti-law enforcement, militia group who have performed tactical training at 8008 Dunn Rd., Munith, Michigan (Jackson County).”, “I’d like to personally thank the law enforcement officers who participated in yesterday’s arrests and those who have assisted with this investigation throughout the past several months,” Attorney General Nessel said. Authorities say they also called on group members to identify the homes of law enforcement officers to target them, “made threats of violence to instigate a civil war leading to societal collapse,” and engaged in planning and training to attack the Michigan state Capitol building. One meeting occurred at a Second Amendment rally at the State Capitol in Lansing, Michigan. Six individuals were also charged by U.S. Attorney Birge with separate, federal felony charges as a result of the execution of the warrants.”, “Michigan law enforcement officers are united in our commitment to rooting out terrorism in any form and we will take swift action against anyone seeking to cause violence or harm in our state,” said Col. Joe Gasper, director of the Michigan State Police, in the release. The men all live in Michigan, except Croft, who is from Delaware. As stated in the criminal complaint filed by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, “The group talked about creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient.” The defendants allegedly “talked about state governments they believed were violating the U.S. Constitution, including the government of Michigan and Governor Gretchen Whitmer” and also discussed “murdering ‘tyrants’” ( here ). One meeting was audio recorded by the informant. The Group Performed ‘Tactical Training,’ Authorities Allege. The complaint alleges that, in a recorded phone call, Michigan resident Adam Fox said he needed “200 men” to storm the Capitol and take hostages, including the governor. On Oct. 17, Mississippi state Senator Chris McDaniel shared the claim with his 262,000 plus followers on his Facebook ( here ). The Michigan Militia, Michigan Militia Corps (MMC), or the Michigan Militia Corps, Wolverines (MMCW) 8 is a paramilitary organization founded by Norman Olson, a former U.S. Air Force non-commissioned officer, of Alanson, Michigan, USA.9 The organization was formed around 1994 in response to perceived encroachments by the federal government on the rights of citizens. The formalist conceits are dazzling in their complexity, but lack the clear symbolic significance of, say, the gimmick from Memento.. wolverine watchmen militia: michigan militia: who are the wolverine watchmen: Grab the f*ckin’ governor. No tip is too small; don’t wait until it’s too late. Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico are founding members of the Wolverine Watchmen. here . Early reports of the thwarted plan suggested members of two militia groups, including one called the Wolverine Watchmen, were behind the conspiracy to … Partly false. Overall, those facing either federal of state charges for conspiring to kidnap Whitmer subscribe to a version of the militant anti-government ideology known as the boogaloo movement. The complaint alleges: They met in the basement of Fox’s business in Grand Rapids, which was accessed through a trap door hidden under a rug on the main floor. ... No one even knows if this Wolverine Watchmen militia group is real or fake. “But I’ll be honest, I never could have imagined anything like this.” She also criticized President Donald Trump, saying, according to The Detroit News, “Hate groups heard the president’s words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, a call to action.”. A senior federal law enforcement official said authorities believe the “Wolverine Watchmen” ideology differs from a conventional militia group. It has resonance with real-world political events and a tone of high moral seriousness, but no overt moral or political message. That person then reported that the group periodically met for the field training exercises on private property in remote areas of Michigan. ... “Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico are founding members of the Wolverine Watchmen. The group was formed in response to perceived encroachments by the federal government on the rights of citizens. ... the “Wolverine Watchmen” are a … As said earlier this month in a fact check by Politifact ( here ), the Washington Post reported ( here ) that a Michigan sheriff reportedly once met with William Null, one of the defendants facing state charges, “when he came to his office to vent about the Black Lives Matter movement.”. More on the ideology of one of the men who was busted by the FBI for a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. In another meeting, Fox is accused of saying their best opportunity to abduct Whitmer would be when she was arriving at or leaving either her personal vacation home or official summer residence. Members of Wolverine Watchmen “periodically met for ‘field training exercises’ (FTXs) on private property in remote areas where they engaged in firearms training and tactical drills to prepare for the ‘boogaloo,’ a terms referencing a violent uprising against the government or impending politically-motivated civil war,” authorities say. They decided to increase their members and reached out to a Michigan militia group that was brought to the FBI’s attention in March 2002 because “members of the militia group were attempting to obtain the addresses of local law enforcement officers.” The FBI interviewed a member of the militia group who was concerned about this. Because at that point, we do that, dude – it’s over.” They planned to “remove her to a secure location in Wisconsin for ‘trial.’”, Wolverine Watchmen Militia: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know, Copyright © 2021 Heavy, Inc. All rights reserved. Pete Musico, Michael Null, and William Null—three of the eight defendants charged at the state level— were among the hundreds of protesters who entered the capitol building on April 30 as state lawmakers debated Whitmer’s request to extend her emergency powers to battle the novel coronavirus, Reuters photos from that day show. Wolverine Watchmen militia accused member Adam Fox and Michigan Gov. “Michigan residents can assist us in this mission by speaking up if you see suspicious activity or become aware of someone making threats. The men accused of federal charges wanted to set up their own “self-sufficient” government and banded together with the militia, according to authorities, who say some of the plotting took place at a Second Amendment rally. All three men are armed ( here , here ). Update (1515ET): Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel held a press conference to announce state charges against the militia conspirators in a plot to kill and/or kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Authorities announced that they had filed 19 state felony charges against seven individuals “known to be members of the militia group, Wolverine Watchmen or associates of Wolverine Watchmen. “Whereas the militia movement (and) radical gun rights activists typically promote the boogaloo as a war against the government or liberals, white supremacists conceive of the boogaloo as a race war or a white revolution.”. The Michigan Militia is a paramilitary Michigan-based organization founded in 1994 by Norman Olson, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. “They discussed different ways of achieving this goal from peaceful endeavors to violent actions. Watchmen is the kind of work that invites interpretation. F*ck it.”. At least two of the Wolverine Watchmen were among the armed protesters who stormed and briefly occupied the Michigan State Capitol building, in Lansing, this past May. They attempted to construct an improvised explosive device. Gang membership – a 20-year felony, which may be served as a consecutive sentence; and Carrying or possessing a firearm during the commission of a felony; felony firearm – a two-year mandatory prison sentence to be served consecutively. Knock on the door, and when she answers it just cap her… at this point. It is part of the wider American militia movement. Within the week preceding the Wolverine Watchmen arrests, there were at least three other state and federal arrest operations linked to the boogaloo movement, a loosely organized American far-right extremist movement whose participants say they are … Seth Jones, a political scientist and professor of counterterrorism at Johns Hopkins University, said in an Inside Edition story from Oct. 14, the Wolverines have grown out of the area’s longstanding militia presence. In July, some of the men attended a FTX in Cambria, Wisconsin, participating in firearms training and other combat drills. William Null, 38, of Shelbyville: The text in the posts reads: “Notice how the Whitmer kidnapping story disappeared after we found out the perps were ANTIFA and BLM anarchists.”, In an Oct. 9 interview with CNN’s Wolf Blitzer (here), Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel described the “overarching ideology behind this plot” as follows: “…Whether they call themselves militia organizations or whether they’re white supremacy groups, they really all subscribe to a similar extremist ideology, and it’s this ‘boogaloo’ theory of taking over the government, civil war… they thrive on unrest. The Wolverine Watchmen group has used Facebook since November 2019 to recruit members and trained with firearms to prepare for the “boogaloo,” or impending civil war, according to affidavits in support of the state charges. One count each of threat of terrorism, a 20-year felony and/or $20,000 fine; More on the ideology of one of the men who was busted by the FBI for a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Fox is accused of writing on Facebook, “We about to be busy ladies and gentlemen… This is where the Patriot shows up. Wolverine Watchmen is a militia group of Michigan men accused of plotting with other men to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer to put her on “trial” in Wisconsin. Neither the criminal complaint, the Department of Justice press release ( here ), nor an Oct. 8 press conference by Michigan Attorney General Nessel and law enforcement officials from Michigan agencies and the FBI ( here ) mention the Black Lives Matter movement or Antifa as part of the defendants’ ideological motivation for the alleged plot. Several members “talked about murdering ‘tyrants’ or ‘taking’ a sitting governor,” the complaint alleges. Boogaloo followers anticipate the government will attempt to confiscate people’s guns (here). They are not all members of the Wolverine Watchmen. Joseph Morrison is considered Wolverine Watchmen’s “Commander” and is known by the online moniker “Boogaloo Bunyan. In this video he poses in front of an anarchist flag to tell people that the Declaration of Independence is an anarchist document. I'm glad we have "soy boys" working at the FBI and DHS who are a little more grounded in reality and are man enough to … I know that I speak on behalf of Michiganders everywhere when I say we are forever grateful to you for your actions.”, The affidavit says that authorities became aware in early 2020 that “groups of individuals in several states that were discussing a violent overthrow of government and law enforcement entities. !”, The complaint says Fox discussed destroying Whitmer’s boat and Daniel Harris is accused of saying, “Have one person go to her house. Last fall, the FBI arrested a group of men who dubbed themselves the Wolverine Watchmen and were planning to kidnap Gov. Georgia, like many other US states, is awash with militia groups. He called Whitmer “this tyrant bitch” and said, “I don’t know, boys, we gotta do something.”, On June 6, according to the complaint Fox, Croft and about 13 other people from several states gathered for a meeting in Dublin, Ohio. All quotes delayed a minimum of 15 minutes. Cooter said there are several similar groups around the state like the Wolverine Watchmen that are united in their ideology. ( here ). Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts here . He described it as “Snatch and grab, man. “In preparing for this plot, Shawn Fix, William Null, Michael Null and Eric Molitor all aided in physical surveillance of the Governor’s private vacation home. “But there are multiple white supremacy groups and militia groups that have been acting in accordance with one another.” Gretchen Whitmer … https://www.thenation.com/article/society/trump-militia-election Referring to the eight defendants facing state felony charges, Ryan Jarvi, press Secretary for the Michigan attorney general’s office, told Reuters via email: “We can confirm that none of the defendants are members of Black Lives Matter or Antifa.”. Attorneys for members of the so-called Wolverine Watchmen militia group attempted to argue that... What To Know About The Wolverine Watchmen, ... Gretchen Whitmer for using the hero’s name as part of a violent ideology. They talked about “creating a society that followed the U.S. Bill of Rights and where they could be self-sufficient,” the complaint says. Just grab the b*tch. This is more than just political disagreement or passionate advocacy, some of these groups’ mission is simply to create chaos and inflict harm upon others.”, “I knew this job would be hard,” Whitmer responded, according to The New York Times.