The original announcement from the Federal Bureau of Investigation was startling. A half dozen Michigan men were arrested and being held on federal charges. They were being accused of planning to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Other men were also arrested and charged with related crimes by Michigan State Police.

Get our free mobile app

The FBI called the October 2020, enforcement action a “Coordinated Disruption of the Plan.”  It was then and remains now front-page news. But the front-page stories now have a lot more time in between as court action drags on.

At the start, just a hint of claims of law enforcement set up. But those claims are being heard more often. Now, an international audience of readers is looking over extensive reporting from the media outlet Buzzfeed that spells out what the publication says is clear evidence all is not as it seemed last fall.

The Buzzfeed report claims the criminal conspiracy laid out by federal and state law enforcement agencies was more like a plot coordinated by the FBI, not a plot the federal law enforcement agents just happened to stumble upon.

The original information release from the FBI runs totally contrary. “The federal complaint in this case alleges that the FBI began an investigation earlier this year after becoming aware through social media that a group of individuals was discussing the violent overthrow of certain government and law enforcement components.”

The Buzzfeed report however points to critics of federal investigation strategies. They say the Michigan conspiracy against Governor Gretchen Whitmer may well be an example of

"outrageous government overreach".

Most all of the defendants in the case have pleaded not guilty. To say the government may have had a hand in setting it all up sounds like a big reach without looking at the details. It’s a complicated and some say dangerous approach to even mention. But it’s out there.

The 100 Best Places to Live in the Midwest

Inside Amazon: A Detailed History of America's Biggest Online Retailer

Stacker compiled a list of key moments in Amazon's history and its current business from a variety of sources. Here's a look at the events that turned an online bookstore into a global conglomerate and a self-made entrepreneur into the world's second-richest man.

More From 1240 WJIM AM