Gretchen Whitmer’s trial was set to resume Monday. However, the trial of four men accused of plotting to kidnap the Michigan Governor has been postponed until at least Thursday. A vital participant was found to be positive for COVID-19. The delay was ordered by Robert Jonker, U.S. District Judge.
In the coming weeks, undercover FBI agents and informants would be expected to testify. Two co-conspirators pleaded guilty before going to trial.
The trial may last longer than one month.
Prosecutors countered defense claims that they were tricked by FBI agents into signing up for a kidnapping plot. The case was laid by the prosecution, who called FBI investigators to discuss how they obtained secret recordings and social media posts. Some of the evidence was entered by them.
Jurors heard Thursday’s first ever recording of one defendant specifically speaking about kidnapping of the Democratic governor. Barry Croft Jr. was heard saying that Whitmer should be “quickly and precisely grabbed”.
Jurors heard him and Adam Fox ranting on social media about supposed government abuses. They also recorded themselves saying that violence was an acceptable response. Croft was accused of plotting to kill Fox and Fox.
Prosecutors claimed that authorities had arrested Fox, Croft and Daniel Harris in October 2020 to stop the kidnapping. They also wanted to make sure the men wouldn’t continue with their bids for powerful explosives.
Whitmer began to exchange teasing words with Donald Trump in 2020 over his response to COVID-19. She was regularly criticized by her critics, who blocked streets around the Michigan Capitol and allowed semi-automatic rifles to enter the building.
Whitmer, who is running for reelection in 2018, rarely speaks publicly about the case. She is not expected to attend the trial. She blames Trump for inflaming mistrust and fomenting anger over coronavirus regulations and refusing condemnation of hate groups and right-wing extremeists, like the ones charged in this plot. She also claimed that he was complicit in the Jan. 6 Capitol Insurrection
