Extremists

Law & Crime reports: Federal prosecutors have released a trove of evidence that includes terrifying videos and texts seized while investigating the kidnap/murder plot against Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Local Michigan reporter Doug Reardon of Detroit’s Fox 17 tweeted out a thread of the evidence, which included chilling training videos and texts that included one which said “Have one person …

The Associated Press reports: President Donald Trump recently accepted $1 million in campaign contributions from a couple whose vocal support for the QAnon conspiracy theory led to the cancellation of a fundraiser they were supposed to host for Vice President Mike Pence last month. The couple, Caryn and Michael Borland, have shared QAnon memes and retweeted posts from QAnon accounts, …

The Detroit News reports: Michigan is prohibiting the open carry of guns within 100 feet of polling places amid fears of voter intimidation during the pivotal Nov. 3 election, prompting criticism by Second Amendment advocates. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson sent guidance to local election officials on Friday — 18 days before Election Day — to clarify that the open …

The Atlantic reports: President Donald Trump likes to dabble in conspiracy theories, and he does not like to contradict his base. So it should come as no surprise that the president tonight refused to denounce the warped conspiracy-theory movement known as QAnon, which posits that a global cabal is torturing children, and which exalts Trump as its savior. Yet if …

The Washington Post reports: YouTube on Thursday became the latest social media giant to take steps to stop QAnon, the sprawling pro-Trump conspiracy theory community whose online fantasies about a cabal of satanic pedophiles running the world have spilled over into offline violence. The company announced in a blog post that it was updating its hate speech and harassment policies …

NBC News reports: Secret recordings of a militant neo-Nazi organization called The Base reveal that the group is recruiting people with military expertise in the U.S. and Canada to train in military operations and prepare to take advantage of what they believe is impending societal collapse. The audio recordings are from calls between the leader of The Base and more …

The Chicago Sun-Times reports: The Lake County state’s attorney’s office says it will not file additional charges against Kyle Rittenhouse in connection to the gun he allegedly used to fatally shoot two people during protests in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Antioch police determined that his rifle was purchased, stored and used in Wisconsin — not in violation of Illinois law, the state’s …

The Richmond Times-Dispatch reports: Members of anti-government paramilitary groups discussed kidnapping Virginia’s governor during a June meeting in Ohio, an FBI agent testified Tuesday during a court hearing in Michigan. Special Agent Richard Trask was part of the investigation that led to six men being arrested and charged last week with plotting to kidnap Michigan’s Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. Seven …

Click On Detroit reports: Eric Trump has canceled a Michigan based campaign event scheduled to take place Tuesday at Huron Valley Guns in New Hudson after one of its former employees was linked to the domestic terror plot against the state’s governor. Just last week 13 men were charged in a domestic terror plot to kidnap Whitmer and overthrow the …

CNN Business reports: For years, YouTube has faced challenges over the types of content it removes, from terrorist propaganda and hate speech to misinformation about vaccines. It’s now struggling over what to do about the QAnon conspiracy theory. In an interview with CNN’s Poppy Harlow for the Boss Files podcast, YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki stopped short of pledging to ban …

TechCrunch reports: Facebook this morning announced a significant change in how it approaches Holocaust denial content on its social network. For years, the company has been criticized for not taking down this extremely offensive form of content in favor of allowing free speech and distancing itself from taking on the responsibilities of a traditional publisher. Today, it’s reversing that position, …

Michigan Live reports: Calls for the resignation of a Michigan sheriff who recently shared a stage with members of the Michigan Liberty Militia are growing louder. Barry County Sheriff Dar Leaf, who told MLive he knows a couple of the men who were arrested last week in an alleged plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, spoke out against the governor …

CBS News reports: President Trump’s reelection bid received a vote of support Friday from an entity most in his party would reject: the Taliban. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid told CBS News in a phone interview, “We hope he will win the election and wind up U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.” The militant group expressed some concern about Mr. Trump’s bout …

Detroit’s Fox News affiliate reports: Michael and William Null were among the first suspects charged Thursday morning for their alleged roles in what the FBI calls a plot to kidnap Governor Gretchen Whitmer. The Null brothers had ties to militia groups and were frequently seen at local demonstrations. Including at a rally in protest of Governor Whitmer’s stay-at-home order, held …

The Detroit Free Press reports: Thirteen members of an anti-government group bent on igniting a civil war are charged in a plot to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who the group targeted in a possible commando raid on the state capitol, according to newly unsealed court records. Authorites said Thursday that the Wolverine Watchmen group planned on storming either the capitol …

The Detroit News reports: 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 …

Vanity Fair reports: In response to the news of her own planned kidnapping, Whitmer criticized Trump for “stoking distrust” and “giving comfort to those who spread fear and division.” Kayleigh McEnany hit back with her own statement, writing, “President Trump has continually condemned white supremacists and all forms of hate. Governor Whitmer is sowing division by making these outlandish allegations. …

The Detroit News reports: The FBI says it thwarted what it described as a plot to violently overthrow the government and kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and federal prosecutors are expected to discuss the alleged conspiracy later Thursday. The alleged plot involved reaching out to members of a Michigan militia, according to a federal affidavit filed Thursday. “Several members talked …

Will Sommer reports at The Daily Beast: Facebook announced a sweeping ban on QAnon activity Tuesday, vowing to delete content related to the pro-Trump conspiracy theory movement on its platforms. “Starting today, we will remove any Facebook Pages, Groups and Instagram accounts representing QAnon, even if they contain no violent content,” the company said in a press release. The crackdown …

CNN reports: White supremacist extremists will remain the deadliest domestic terror threat to the United States, according to the Department of Homeland Security’s first annual homeland threat assessment, which details a range of threats from election interference to unprecedented storms. Since 2018, White supremacists have conducted more lethal attacks in the US than any other domestic extremist movement, demonstrating a …