FBI informant describes plot against Whitmer

An FBI informant testified at a court hearing on Friday, describing his time embedded in the group of men who allegedly planned to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D). 

Only part of the testimony was able to be heard by the public when “Dan,” the informant whose identity remains a secret, described how he met the group and what happened after he joined, the Detroit Free Press reported.

The FBI stopped a militia group in October after it was found out the group was planning to kidnap Whitmer because it was upset about the coronavirus restrictions she put on the state.

Dan became an FBI informant after he joined the group, not knowing its plans when he signed up, and found out the group wanted to injure and possibly kill police and lawmakers.

Dan knew the three who were standing trial Friday — Pete Musico, Joseph Morrison and Paul Bellar — from his undercover work.

“I was scrolling through Facebook one day and they popped up as a suggestion post,” Dan said. “I clicked on the page and it had a few questions to answer.” 

Dan, a libertarian who frequently interacted with Second Amendment content on Facebook, got into the group, and it had him download an app called Wire that helps people communicate in secret.

From there, he found out their true motives and informed the police. The FBI asked him to stay in the group as an informant, and Dan complied, wearing a wire at some points to help authorities. He then went to protests and training exercises with the group. 

Ty Garbin, one of the men who was accused of being involved in the kidnapping plot, pleaded guilty to conspiracy in January and admitted to having trainings with weapons to prepare for the attack.

Michigan lawmakers have had to deal with violent threats during the pandemic, with Michigan Rep. Debbie Dingell (D) saying, “I’ve had men in front of my house with assault weapons. I, too, have been threatened with being hung for treason.”