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FBI says it foiled plot to kidnap and kill Gov. Whitmer, overthrow Michigan govt.

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DEVELOPING

The FBI said at a Thursday press conference that it has foiled a plot by a right-wing militia to kidnap and kill Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D-Mich.), as well as overthrow the state government.

Wednesday night into early Thursday morning, agents from multiple federal agencies raided a house in Hartland, Michigan and arrested six men: Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris, and Brandon Caserta. All of them are Michiganders except for Croft, who hails from Delaware.

“All of us in Michigan can disagree about politics, but those disagreements should never, ever amount to violence,” said Matthew Schneider, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. “Violence has been prevented today.”

The conspirators planned to kidnap the governor from her vacation home before the November 3 election, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, Andrew Birge. For months, the six men collaborated and practiced carrying out the plot with other militia members. Fox wanted to try her for “treason,” according to the authorities.

Gov. Whitmer gained national notoriety at the beginning of the pandemic for her strict lockdown policies, which the State’s Supreme Court recently deemed unconstitutional. Her policies are key to this story because, while fellow Democrats lauded her for them, they have drawn the ire of the far-right. Throughout the pandemic, anti-mask and anti-lockdown demonstrators have routinely staged large protests in the Wolverine State’s capital of Lansing.

Furthermore, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel introduced additional charges against seven separate individuals with ties to the militia group called the Wolverine Watchmen. These individuals, said Nessel, “are suspected to have attempted to identify the home addresses of law enforcement officers in order to target them, made threats of violence, intended to instigate a civil war, and engaged in planning and training for an operation to attack the Capitol Building of Michigan and to kidnap government officials, including the governor of Michigan.”

She then noted that “these charges are subject to change after a complete review of the evidence obtained last night and may differ from those charged at the federal level.”

The agencies which participated in the operation include the FBI, the U.S. Attorneys for the Western and Eastern Districts of Michigan, the Michigan Attorney General, and the Michigan State Police.

All of six men face life in prison, and the investigation is ongoing.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

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Florida Congressman Byron Donalds Considers Gubernatorial Run in 2026

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Republican Representative Byron Donalds from Florida is contemplating a potential bid for the governorship of the Sunshine State in 2026, according to a source close to him confirmed by Fox News Digital.

Donalds, who has been a vocal supporter of former President Donald Trump, revealed to Fox News Digital his current focus on assisting Trump’s bid to return to office, stating, “I’m committed to making Biden a one-term president. We’ll focus on that other stuff after President Trump gets inaugurated.”

This announcement comes as Donalds finds himself at the forefront of the ongoing efforts in the House to pass a continuing resolution aimed at preventing a government shutdown. He has been actively involved in seeking a bipartisan consensus to ensure government funding through the end of October, as the September 30th deadline approaches.

Additionally, Donalds has expressed his willingness to serve as Trump’s running mate if asked by the former president, adding intrigue to his potential gubernatorial ambitions.

Notably, this development emerges amid speculations about a gubernatorial run by another prominent Florida Republican, Representative Matt Gaetz. Gaetz recently dismissed such rumors, affirming his focus on supporting Trump’s prospective 2024 White House run.

The timing of Donalds’ potential candidacy for Florida’s governorship coincides with the state’s constitution barring current Governor Ron DeSantis from seeking re-election in 2026 due to term limits.

While House Republicans have generally reached a consensus on the funding measure, some holdouts, including Gaetz, threaten to disrupt the process. Gaetz has even raised the possibility of a mutiny against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to challenge his leadership.

However, McCarthy has downplayed these threats, responding to Gaetz’s intentions during a House GOP conference meeting with the directive to “file a f—ing motion” if he intends to remove him from his position as House Speaker.

The outcome of the continuing resolution and the dynamics within the House Republican caucus will undoubtedly influence the political landscape in Florida and the aspirations of figures like Byron Donalds in the years to come.

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