Gretchen Whitmer news – live: Governor condemns Trump for failing to condemn white supremacists as kidnap plot foiled

$10m bond set for founders of Wolverine Watchmen

Two Michigan men arrested in the plot to kidnap governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer and attack law enforcement officers appeared in court on Thursday afternoon. 

Pete Musico, 42, and Joseph Morrison, 26, were arraigned on multiple felony charges connected to the alleged plot.

Both men are charged with one felony count each of threat of terrorism, gang membership, providing material support for terrorist acts and felony firearms.

A bond of $10 million was set for each defendant.

Seven men charged by state of Michigan

The seven defendants charged by the state are Paul Bellar, 21, Shawn Fix, 38, Eric Molitor, 36, Michael Null, 38, William Null, 38, Pete Musico, 42, Joseph Morrison, 42. 

The men face a range of firearm and terror charges.

Senator Chris Murphy tweets real threat to America’s safety is from the right

Six men charged by federal government

The six men charged by the federal government are Michigan residents Adam Fox, 37, Ty Garbin, 24, Kaleb Franks, 26, Daniel Harris, 23, Brandon Caserta, 32, and Delaware resident Barry Croft, 44.

Trump campaign doubles down on attacks on Gretchen Whitmer

Jason Miller ripped into politician after she said president ‘gave comfort’ to extremists.

Graeme Massie reports.

Chicago mayor calls Michigan plot ‘chilling’, says Trump bears some ‘responsibility’

Donald Trump and his rhetoric bear a “measure of responsibility” for the stunning plot the FBI alleges was aimed at kidnapping Michigan Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Chicago mayor Lori Lightfoot said on Thursday.

The Chicago Tribune reports: 

“This is a lesson for all of us, words matter, and when you’re in public life, you have to choose your words carefully,” she said.

Asked to react to the unfolding situation in Michigan, Lightfoot said “it’s chilling" and added, “I think all roads lead back to Donald Trump.”

Lightfoot specifically singled out an April post where Trump tweeted, “Liberate Michigan!”

“Unfortunately, every single time he attacks a public official, and I know this personally, there are those who take that as license to come after us,” Lightfoot said. “The level of hatred that has been spewed towards me every time the president or his spokesperson uses my name in public, not just attacking the city, but me personally, and I know this is the experience of other mayors and other elected officials across the country.”

She also said Trump has “emboldened and empowered an element in our country that we know exists, sometimes we don’t want to talk about it, but it’s absolutely there and there’s a lot of racist, misogynist, xenophobic, violent people that are out there who threaten me and my family and other elected officials because the president gives them license.”

Flashback: Operation Gridlock

Back in mid-April, thousands of conservative demonstrators – a number of them armed – brought chaos and gridlock to the centre of Michigan’s capital to protest over the governor’s stay-at-home coronavirus order.

Ignoring Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer’s order to keep off the streets to try and reduce the spread of the virus, thousands of protesters, many of them waving Donald Trump banners, poured into Lansing as part of what was termed “Operation Gridlock”.

Here’s Andrew Buncombe’s report from 16 April.

Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer speaks out about ‘depraved’ kidnap plot

The governor’s statement in full.

One of two alleged ringleaders was living in area below vacuum shop

Footage from inside the basement where one of the suspects accused of plotting to kidnap Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer lived has been released following his arrest.

Susan Samples, from WOODTV in Grand Rapids, Michigan, posted the footage on Twitter.

James Crump reports.

Trump called Whitmer ‘lockup queen’ house before FBI revealed plot

Hours before the FBI announced agents broke up an alleged far-right militia plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor, Donald Trump criticised Gretchen Whitmer as a “lockup queen” for stay-at-home measures in the state during the coronavirus pandemic.

He told Fox Business News host Maria Bartiromo on Thursday: “I won Michigan, which hadn't been won in decades and decades … and we should win it again because I brought so much business there because she's the lockup queen.”