Appeals Court Upholds Convictions in Michigan Governor Kidnapping Plot

The plot to kidnap Michigan’s governor in 2020, which had significant implications during the presidential election period, continues to unfold in the judicial system. Recently, an appeals court confirmed the convictions of two main conspirators who intended to instigate a civil war by abducting Democratic Governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. were accused of spearheading the failed kidnapping plan. Their legal representatives contended that a trial judge’s decisions in western Michigan hindered their ability to mount a strong entrapment defense. Nevertheless, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in a unanimous decision, concluded that any judicial missteps were immaterial.

“The jury saw and heard a host of video and audio recordings of defendants promising violence, planning and participating in trainings, bringing their own weapons and material, and plotting the abduction without reluctance,” the court stated, emphasizing the ample evidence available.

The FBI and state police were vigilant, keeping tabs on the group for several months, thereby preventing any harm to Governor Whitmer. The operation, which led to the arrests of Fox, Croft, and other anti-government extremists, caused a stir as it was unveiled close to the 2020 election.

Fox, aged 41, and Croft, aged 49, were accused of being the chief architects of the conspiracy. They faced conviction in a subsequent trial held in 2022 after the initial trial in Grand Rapids failed to reach a unanimous decision. Croft, who hails from Delaware and works as a trucker, also faced a weapons-related charge.

Evidence presented in court revealed detailed planning, including reconnaissance trips to Whitmer’s second residence in northern Michigan and tactical training sessions. The defendants left a digital trail of their discontent with public officials, exacerbated by COVID-19 restrictions.

Both men are currently incarcerated in a high-security federal prison in Colorado, with Croft receiving a nearly 20-year sentence and Fox 16 years. Defense attorneys depicted them as inept individuals manipulated by FBI agents, rather than genuine insurgents. “In America, the FBI is not supposed to create domestic terrorists so that the FBI can arrest them,” argued Christopher Gibbons, Fox’s lawyer, during the trial.

The investigation led to mixed outcomes for the prosecution, with five of the 14 individuals charged in state or federal court being acquitted. In 2020, Whitmer attributed some blame to then-President Donald Trump for fostering distrust and inciting anger over pandemic measures, criticizing his reluctance to denounce right-wing extremists. Trump, after leaving office, dismissed the kidnapping plot as a “fake deal.”