Six men charged in supposed plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
An FBI investigation identified six men who were plotting with a militia group to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, authorities announced Thursday.
The men have been arrested and charged.
Court documents show the FBI was “well aware” of the men’s plot, according to NBC News.
At a meeting in July, allegedly recorded by one of the informants, the men discussed attacking a Michigan state police facility and suggested shooting up the governor’s vacation home, authorities said.
It was indicated that they wanted to take her hostage before the presidential election in November, said Richard J. Trask II, an F.B.I. special agent, in the criminal complaint, according to The New York Times.
The documents identify the defendants as Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Ty Garbin, Kaleb Franks, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta.
COVID-19, the economy and healthcare discussed at vice presidential debate
The matchup Wednesday night between Sen. Kamala Harris and Vice President Mike Pence was “far less combative” than its presidential predecessor, according to The New York Times.
Harris opened the debate, focusing on the federal government’s response to the coronavirus. She criticized the administration’s record on the pandemic, according to CNN. Pence defended the president at every turn, often speaking over Harris.
Pence was questioned on health care, specifically how the Trump administration would protect coverage for pre-existing conditions if it succeeded in overturning the Affordable Care Act. Pence ignored the question, “pivoting” to talk about the Supreme Court and abortion, according to The New York Times.
The question of expanding the Supreme Court was dodged by both Harris and Pence.
Harris and Pence were asked if the election results would lead to a peaceful transfer of power. Pence avoided the question. He said, “First and foremost, I think we’re going to win this election.”
Pelosi won’t support a standalone bill offering additional funding for airlines
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she won’t support a standalone bill to offer additional funding for airlines without a guarantee from the Trump administration that a larger COVID-19 relief bill would also be considered.
This statement comes days after President Donald Trump shut down negotiations between White House officials and Congress.
Trump accused Pelosi of “not negotiating on good faith” when she rejected a $1.6 trillion proposal from the White House.
“There is no standalone bill without a bigger bill,” Pelosi told reporters Thursday, according to CBS News.
Pelosi slammed the president for saying he did not want to work on relief legislation until after the election.
Newly released police body cam videos show night Breonna Taylor was killed
Louisville police released evidence Wednesday from an investigation of the raid that killed Breonna Taylor in March.
The material includes over 250 videos and more than 4,000 pages of documents, according to CBS News.
One of the police body camera videos shows Taylor’s boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, outside her home after she’d been shot telling officers his girlfriend was dead.
The case is centered around whether a search warrant for Taylor’s home was valid. Police records show the warrant stemmed from Taylor’s communication with ex-boyfriend Jamarcus Glover, the target of a narcotics investigation.
The released evidence includes an audiotape that reveals Glover had not been in touch with Taylor, further calling into question the justification for the raid.
The new Louisville police chief is continuing the investigation of the raid. The FBI’s investigation into possible civil rights violations continues, and a request to speak out from an anonymous grand juror continues to go through the courts.
