Thread by @julie_kelly2

Trial gets underway in Whitmer case.

Jury selection completed--Judge Robert Jonker now giving jury instructions with opening statements to follow. I will report as much as possible today.

My brief explainer of a complicated case here:

amgreatness.com/2022/03/07/the…

Government opening: "They were going to break into the governor's home and take her away. This was not just talk. Their actions were just as...disturbing as their words. They performed reconnaissance at her home, twice. But it was when they tried to buy the bomb..

that the government stopped" the plot.

Jury will hear from 2 undercover agents-- these are the FBI agents whose identities DOJ wanted to conceal from the jury and prevent artist from sketching their faces. Judge denied request.

Members are part of "boogaloo movement," DOJ says

Prosecutor now talking about June 2020 militia meeting. This is the meeting organized by Steve Robeson, the longtime criminal FBI informant removed from the case. He will not testify for the government but might be called as a "hostile witness" by the defense.

Reading lots of...

profane texts. Prosecutor now talking about an initial plan to storm the MI Capitol. (An April 2020 lockdown protest in Lansing was eerily similar to J6 protest. FBI had already infiltrated the group by then.)

Prosecutor says defendants used encrypted app to communicate.

Prosecutor describes training exercise. Biggest problem for government is none of these excursions would have materialized without central involvement of FBI informants who also paid for expenses.

Adam Fox, the so-called ringleader, lived in the cluttered cellar of a vacuum...

repair shop in a Grand Rapids strip mall with his two dogs.

Now discussing trip to Elk Rapids where defendants were "stalking their prey." Group also included FBI informants.

Talking about the "kill house" preparations. Again, organized by government.

Oct 7, 2020: Defendants traveled to Ypsilanti with FBI informants to buy explosives from undercover FBI agent named Red. They were all arrested, homes raided. Some of the evidence included zip tie flex cuffs.

Now reading charges including conspiracy to kidnap, use of WMDs.

"They would shoot, kill anyone in their way. Tried to create a war zone right here in Michigan."

Now defense attorney Chris Gibbons, who represents Fox.

"We couldn't disagree more about what the evidence in this case means. Adam Fox did not commit a crime in this case."

"You're gonna hear a lot of talk in this case."

Gibbons discusses CHS "Dan." the main informant in the case. He was hired in March 2020 by FBI to report back to agency what Wolverine Watchmen were doing.

Pandemic created "stress for everyone."

FBI pays Dan "envelopes of cash."

By summer, no crime had been committed. "All talk."

Instead of closing case and dismissing Dan, he runs into Adam Fox at a rally in Lansing.

"He's a misfit, working at a vacuum shop. Out of money, wasn't getting unemployment, wasn't associated with a militia. He talks big."

"He was basically homeless. His bedroom is blankets hung from the rafters of the basement, no working toilet. He had to go to the Mexican restaurant next door to brush his teeth or use the bathroom."

CHS Dan invited Adam Fox to join Watchmen. "There was no plan" by June 2020

Adam Fox was on govt radar--he had contact before with CHS Steve.

Govt objects--defense can't yet present entrapment case per instructions.

"The government has gone to great lengths to make it look like Adam Fox had a big militia who wanted to kidnap the governor."

Gibbons explains that CHS Steve and another CHS, Jenny, pretended to be militia group leaders for WI and TN. Mentions another informant who claimed to be head of Missouri militia group.

Fox goes to Dublin, Ohio for militia conference in June 2020. About 15 people there.

CHS Steve and CHS Jenny announced on Facebook that Adam would be Michigan head of "Three Percent Patriot Militia," a group fabricated by FBI informants that only existed on Facebook.

"He has the charter, but there's nobody in it. He's got a Facebook page courtesy of the govt."

Adam immediately gets a FB message from someone named "Mark," who claims to be a "rugged individualist" who wanted to join Adam's militia. He's the only other member then.

Mark also is an FBI informant.

Now back to CHS Dan - "he is the framework on which everything hangs"

CHS Steve coordinated a training camp in Wisconsin that defendants attended.

Wolverine Watchmen was a Facebook group in spring 2020, about 48 members. "Smoke pot, talk, drink beer, dump a couple of mags in a tree trunk and go home."

Group changes after CHS Dan enters group.

This impresses Adam, "who no one has ever really given a care. He really has no friends."

CHS Dan and Adam, according to defense, communicated every day sometimes several texts per day.

Judge says Gibbons "over the line." Defense hamstrung on how much it can discuss FBI role

Gibbons: "You're going to hear testimony that things are not what they appear."

Going thru persona of "Sean Fix" and how his military background is not true. "All of it is play acting" at a BBQ where only UCE Mark and his girlfriend attended.

That's where plan was hatched.

They discuss how to get to Whitmer's cottage on Mackinac Island. Everybody is "three sheets to the wind" with "copious amounts" of pot being smoked.

Gibbons says CHS Dan suggested all the options.

Govt and Judge interrupts again.

Gibbons moves on - another training trip...

attended by defendants. (All trips organized by CHS Steve.) Gibbons cannot say that yet.

Judge and govt interrupt again.

Gibbons now moves on to UCE Red. "He extended the opportunity to buy the bomb on an IOU."

Bomb cost $4k but Adam Fox was "broke" all summer.

"There was no agreement, there was no conspiracy, there was no overt act."

Now up is Julia Kelly, atty for Dan Harris.

"He was unhappy about direction our country was headed." Attended BLM, anti-lockdown rallies. He joined Wolverine Watchmen to "shoot guns and drink beer."

Daniel was "charmed" by CHS Dan who "painted himself as a war hero. Sometimes Daniel would call CHS Dan, 'dad.'" Harris is a former Marine.

*Brief interruption, husband called*

Not sure which attorney is up now--talking about CHS Dan running a training camp, more meetings.

Barry Croft atty, Joshua Blanchard: CHS Dan gets a Suburban to drive defendants to Wisconsin for event hosted by CHS Steve.

They assemble a "shoot house," practice going in and out and shooting. CHS Dan drives everyone back.

Another training trip, meetings. CHS Dan records all

Correction, that was Brandon Caserta's atty.

Notes Caserta didn't attend last few trips, didn't train anyone, didn't assemble anything.

Judge calls for morning break.