May 28 (UPI) — President Donald Trump told reporters Wednesday that he will consider pardoning four men convicted of conspiring to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020 because of tough COIVD-19 restrictions in the state.
When asked in the White House’s Oval Office, Trump said: “I’m going to look at it. It’s been brought to my attention. I did watch the trial. It looked to me like somewhat of a railroad job, I’ll be honest with you.”
Trump added: “It looked to me like some people said some stupid things. They were drinking and I think they said stupid things. But I’ll take a look at that, and a lot of people are asking me that question from both sides, actually. A lot of people think they got railroaded, and probably some people don’t.”
On Oct. 8, 2020, the Justice Department arrested 13 people from an anti-government group called the Wolverine Watchmen in a plot to kidnap Whitmer. One week later, a 14th suspect was arrested and charged in Michigan state court.
Six suspects were charged in federal court. The others can’t be pardoned or have their sentences commuted by Trump because they are state cases.
Typically, the Office of the Pardon Attorney reviews and investigates applications for clemency submitted to the Justice Department.
The DOJ’s new pardon attorney, Ed Martin Jr. said last week that he will take a “hard look” at two men serving long prison terms in this case: Barry Croft Jr. serving 20 years and Adam Fox serving 16 years.
They are being held in a prison in Colorado.
“On the pardon front, we can’t leave these guys behind,” Martin, who previous was one of Trump’s personal attorneys, said on The Breanna Morello Show. “In my opinion, these are victims just like January 6.”
On his first day in office on Jan. 20, Trump pardoned more than 1,500 of his supporters who attacked the U.S. Capitol during a deadly riot on Jan. 6, 2021. They wanted to stop the certification of the 2020 presidential election won by Joe Biden.
Testimony during the federal trial revealed Fox, Croft and others, including FBI informants, went to northern Michigan, where they “cased” Whitmer’s vacation home.
The two men were convicted of conspiracy in federal court in 2022. Croft, a truck driver from Delaware who was considered the ringleader, also was convicted of a weapons charge.
Defense lawyers for Croft and Fox have accused the FBI of engaging in entrapment by infiltrating the group as informants and undercover agents.
In April, the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed sentences for the two men.
Other federal sentences were for Ty Garbin for 2 1/2 years and Kaleb Franks for four years. Bradon Caserta and Daniel Harris were found not guilty.
Three others were convicted in state court in 2022 — Paul Bellar, Joseph Morrison and Pete Musico. Bellar, who is the son-in-law of Musico, was given a seven-year sentence. Musico’s sentence was 12 years and Morrison’s 10 years.
Two others pleaded guilty: Brian Higgins was given was a three-year sentence and Shawn Fix a minimum of three years. Not guilty were Eric Molton, Michael Null and William Noll in state court.
Whitmer has not commented on the possible pardons.
In 2020, Whitmer blamed some of the men’s actions on Trump’s rhetoric during his first term. She said Trump “refused to condemn white supremacists and hate groups like these two Michigan militia groups” during a debate with Biden.
The Democrat met with Trump at the White House on March 13 to discuss jobs. Trump praised her for “doing an excellent job.”
They also appeared a few weeks later to announce a new fighter jet mission at Selfridge Air Force Base, in Macomb County, Mich.
