In honor of the fear, being spread like the plague, in Detroit, assuming only, as to why no one mentioned my Sweetie's name when speaking upon the legends of Detroit, I have included a press release from Gary Peters, below.
DETROIT, MI – U.S. Senator Gary Peters (MI) released the following statement following the passing of former U.S. Representative John Conyers:
“From being in Selma, Alabama, on Freedom Day during the Civil Rights Movement — to co-founding the Congressional Black Caucus, chairing the House Judiciary Committee and becoming Dean of the House of Representatives — Congressman Conyers dedicated his life to fighting for civil rights. While serving in Congress with him, I saw firsthand his dedication and passion for his beloved City of Detroit and the Congressional district he represented. Colleen and I send our sympathies to the Conyers family during this time.”
Perhaps, just perhaps, the reason why Gretchen Whitmer and the FBI did not inform Lee Chatfield, et al about the situation was, maybe, because he and his cohorts might have been the subject of something or another, indirectly related, but, hey, what do I know?
Michigan's House speaker on Saturday expressed frustrations with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer over what he called a failure to communicate with lawmakers about the alleged plot to overthrow the government and kidnap her.
Lee Chatfield, R-Levering, issued a series of tweets Saturday, saying those in the Capitol were not warned of the plot to take hostages and there needs to be better cooperation going forward across the aisle.
"Why weren’t we in the Legislature warned of the plot to take hostages at the Capitol? The plot by these terrorists was against us too. Why weren’t House sergeants warned?" Chatfield said. "You knew, and we weren’t even given a warning. We had people working in the building every day doing essential work, and their lives matter too."
Governor, we need to cooperate more. A better message needs to be sent. And now that a couple days has gone by since the plot to attack us both has passed, there are several points that I believe need to be made and questions that need to be asked. (1/7)
Zack Pohl, communications director for Whitmer, said in an emailed response that the governor "won't be distracted by the Speaker’s partisan attacks."
"She remains focused on bringing Michiganders together to keep people safe and save lives. We are not going to comment on an ongoing criminal investigation," Pohl said in the email. "If the Speaker has concerns with this successful law enforcement operation, he should direct them to the FBI and President Trump’s Department of Justice, which was in command.
Federal agents said Thursday they thwarted a plot to violently overthrow the government as well as kidnap and harm Whitmer — a conspiracy that included visits to her home in northern Michigan and training with firearms and explosive devices.
The alleged plot mainly involved six conspirators unhappy in part about Whitmer's coronavirus restrictions, calling her a "tyrant." They wanted to create a "self-sufficient" society free from what they called unconstitutional state governments and discussed plans to storm the Capitol and take hostages, according to FBI documents filed in court.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel separately announced 19 state charges against seven other individuals pursuant to the state's anti-terrorism act, "all of whom are in custody and linked to the militia group Wolverine Watchmen."
Remember this gem all the way back in September? Legislators claiming they had no knowledge of the possibility of a tragic event at the Capitol are disingenuous at best. Want to protect those who work at the Capitol building? Pass legislation to ban weapons from Capitol grounds. https://t.co/qv8lib0IWL
On Saturday, Nessel tweeted a response calling Chatfield's comments disingenuous and saying the Legislature had a chance to ban weapons in the Capitol building back in September and never did.
"Remember this gem all the way back in September? Legislators claiming they had no knowledge of the possibility of a tragic event at the Capitol are disingenuous at best," Nessel tweeted Saturday. "Want to protect those who work at the Capitol building? Pass legislation to ban weapons from Capitol grounds."
Chatfield also noted comments by Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist blaming "Michigan Republicans for the evil plans of these mentally unstable men."
Chatfield
Gilchrist told CNN's Don Lemon on Thursday night that the suspects in the kidnapping plot were "emboldened" by President Donald Trump and the "complicity and the encouragement of the Michigan Republican Party, who created the rhetorical space for them to plan these deadly actions."
Gilchrist noted some of those arrested had participated in protests at which GOP lawmakers also were present and had stood in the Senate gallery during session.
"For Republicans to be so flippant as to fraternize with these people while they were armed in the Capitol shows you where their priorities are at," Gilchrist said on the show.
"That accusation is inflammatory and untrue and does nothing to solve this problem. You chose to blame President Trump instead," Chatfield said Saturday. "The truth is, I started getting death threats to my family at my home the day you said my legislative actions would kill people. Realize that as well."
Pohl said that the same day the news of the alleged plot was revealed, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey, a Republican from Clarklake, spoke at a protest against the governor that was organized by Speaker Chatfield’s father, Rusty Chatfield.
"It’s time for Republicans, from the White House on down, to forcefully condemn violent domestic terrorists," Pohl said.
Placing blame
Earlier on Thursday, Whitmer laid some blame for the plot to kidnap her on Trump, whom she said didn't do enough to condemn white supremacists. She specifically mentioned the president's comments at the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 when Trump told the Proud Boys group to "stand back and stand by."
"Hate groups heard the president's words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, a call to action," said the Democratic governor, who is also a co-chair of Joe Biden's presidential campaign. "When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight.”
Trump slammed Whitmer on social media late Thursday night, saying Whitmer had called him a white supremacist instead of thanking him for federal authorities who filed the kidnapping plot against her.
"I do not tolerate any extreme violence," Trump tweeted. "Defending ALL Americans, even those who oppose and attack me, is what I will always do as your President!"
Earlier, Trump administration and campaign officials fired back, arguing it is Whitmer who is trying to create divisions by saying the Republican president inspired the plot.
On Saturday, Chatfield said others in the Legislature have been threatened, too, but don't have the same resources to protect themselves.
"They’ve received threats, letters and calls to their homes. These threats have been to both Republicans and Democrats, but they aren’t given security. They don’t have the state resources to build million-dollar fences at their homes. And we were targeted in these evil plots too. That’s why to overcome this, it will take a unified message and not political talking points or partisan finger-pointing. It will take leadership," he said.
Chatfield ended his message with a call for more unity.
"Now, I’ve been critical of many of your decisions this year during COVID. I’ll admit that. I’ve agreed with some decisions too. It’s important we have these debates. It makes us stronger. It ensures all voices of our state are heard. It’s how our process was designed to work. But we need to do it the right way. Blanket, partisan blame is wrong. It simply further divides us and causes more political strife," he said.
"Hatred and violence are wrong, and that’s why I’ve continually denounced it. And I agree, it’s time to tone the partisan rhetoric and “the heat down” as you’ve said," Chatfield continued. "Will you do the same for President Trump? You’ve arguably been his biggest critic this year in the country. You even fundraised this week off this plot, now making it political, which is sad. Will the Lieutenant Governor do it to the entire Republican Party, of whom are millions of his constituents? This wasn’t standing tall. It was cheap. We can do this, but we have to make this decision together. Let’s back up our words with actions."
FOX 2 - Former Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Andy Arena, admits that after Thursday's stunning arrest of 13 men who authorities said were plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, the next few weeks are going to be rocky.
"I'm nervous over the next three or four weeks (about) what we're going to see," he said.
Former Detroit FBI head says weeks leading to election will be rocky
Andy Arena spoke about the agitated political atmosphere saying he was not surprised at the plot to kidnap Gov. Whitmer.
The 13 men from two different militias are accused of plotting to kidnap the governor from her home in Michigan. The FBI was aware of the plot for months and the governor was moved to protect her family, attorney Dana Nessel disclosed to "CBS This Morning" on Friday.
Arena is concerned there may be more.
"There's just so much agitation out there right now, all over the political spectrum that I'm not shocked that we're seeing stuff like this," he said. "I think from a law enforcement standpoint, you really can't fixate on one side or the other.
"I think you've got to look at anarchists, you've got to look at white supremacists, you've got to look at these outside fringe militia groups and you've got to look outside. You've got to look at ISIS and radical groups like that. It would be a perfect time to hit us."
Many extremist groups are using the internet to recruit and radicalize, but it's sometimes difficult to know when it crosses the line from free speech to something far more serious.
"When you're talking about a threat to the governor, that's a threat to all of us and you have to take is seriously," Arena said. "You've got to make sure that this does not happen."
He's been in a similar situation before. It involved the Hutaree Militia out of Adrian, which was accused of surveilling law enforcement and attempting to build explosive devices. Federal authorities had recordings and undercover agents and informants but in 2012, a federal judge dismissed the most serious charges against them, ruling it was free speech and not domestic terrorism.
"When this gets to the court, they're going to (ask the) question 'Is this just a bunch of knuckleheads sitting around, tough talk, or do these people have the wherewithal to actually do this?'"
Arena says the FBI can't just spy on these extremist groups so people need to say something if they suspect it's gone beyond First Amendment free speech to criminal activity.
"As U.S. citizens we don't want our government spying on us," he said. "But if you see something that may be enough for the FBI to take a look at it, who knows what it's going to lead to."
I am still trying to figure out if this is a hard core FBI COINTEL school play or they were just really, really stupid.
It could be a hybrid of both, you know.
So, the Michigan Masterminders of their own Madness wanted to take Gretch to Wisconsin to try her?
This logic deeply disturbs me.
To try her in what court?
I would absolutely love a spread of pretty and tasty morsels to gnosh while listening to those undercover audios, and any videos, of course.
These Michigan Masterminders of their own Madness, a group of less than 20, wanted to take over the state capitol building and actually thought that absolutely no military and/or multijurisdictional law enforcement conjugal collaboratives would not be deployed?
Ok.
I am going with a bad ass FBI psyoptic and sticking to my story just because these are Michigan Masterminders of their own Madness who possess a really unique idea of how a civil society operates, which mean they have a handler.
For example, they had well planned, and I shall just assume they considered themselves a well armed militia, but we still have yet to find out who was funding them, where they came up with the idea of kidnapping and transporting over state lines....an elected official.... and these people had no idea it would automatically be federal jurisdiction with interstate coordination?
Definitely Michigan Masterminders of their own Madness.
There was a Pied Piper who lit up that network, and, on that note, I wait for the tale to unfold.
President Donald Trump slammed Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on social media Thursday night, hours after authorities revealed a plot to kidnap and harm the Democratic governor.
Trump said that instead of thanking him for federal authorities foiling the plot against her, she had called him a white supremacist. Trump issued a series of tweets after law enforcement officials announced they had thwarted a plot to violently overthrow the government as well as kidnap Whitmer.
After the announcement, Whitmer criticized the president for not doing enough to condemn hate groups in the country.
"I do not tolerate any extreme violence," Trump tweeted. "Defending ALL Americans, even those who oppose and attack me, is what I will always do as your President!"
During a Thursday afternoon news conference, Whitmer who has frequently clashed with Trump, mentioned the president's comments at the first presidential debate on Sept. 29 when Trump told the Proud Boys group to "stand back and stand by."
"Hate groups heard the president's words not as a rebuke, but as a rallying cry, a call to action," Whitmer said. "When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight.”
Trump issued a thread of three tweets after 9 p.m. Thursday before an appearance on Sean Hannity's show on Fox News.
"Governor Whitmer of Michigan has done a terrible job," Trump tweeted. "She locked down her state for everyone, except her husband’s boating activities.
"The Federal Government provided tremendous help to the Great People of Michigan. My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced today that they foiled a dangerous plot against the governor of Michigan.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, left, and President Donald Trump
"Rather than say thank you, she calls me a White Supremacist ..." Trump tweeted.
Governor Whitmer of Michigan has done a terrible job. She locked down her state for everyone, except her husband’s boating activities. The Federal Government provided tremendous help to the Great People of Michigan. My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced...
Governor Whitmer of Michigan has done a terrible job. She locked down her state for everyone, except her husband’s boating activities. The Federal Government provided tremendous help to the Great People of Michigan. My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced...
Along with federal authorities, state and local law enforcement officials were also involved in uncovering the plot against Whitmer.
After the tweets, Trump also criticized the governor during an appearance on Hannity's show. Instead of thanking him, Trump said Whitmer "does her little political act and she keeps her state closed."
Trump also falsely tied school and church closures to Whitmer. Schools decide for themselves whether to have in-person instruction in Michigan. Churches have been exempt from many COVID-19 restrictions in the state, and many have been holding worship services.
Whitmer responded to Trump on Twitter, saying he "clearly didn’t watch my speech earlier."
"If you’re as tired of this divisive rhetoric as I am, there’s something we can do about it," Whitmer added, sharing a link to website that helps people register to vote.
The Republican president has repeatedly tweeted positive remarks about protests against Whitmer's COVID-19 restrictions. Some of the individuals charged in the plot Thursday have attended the demonstrations.
In April, Trump tweeted, "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!"
In May, he added that Whitmer should "give a little" and "put out the fire" after hundreds of protesters rallied at Michigan's Capitol.
