Twin brothers Williams Null and Michael Null are among 14 men, described by prosecutors as anti-government extremists, facing charges over Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s kidnap plot.
Gretchen Whitmer is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019.
A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015.
As governor, she has signed over 1,000 bipartisan bills and four balanced, bipartisan budgets to deliver on the kitchen-table issues, grow the economy, and create good-paying jobs in every region of the state.
In 2020, Whitmer was a subject to abduction after a group of men allegedly arranged to kidnap her in a plot that was developed from June through September.
However, the Federal Bureau of Investigation foiled the operation after a hint.
Eric Molitor and brothers William Null and Michael Null were among the 14 men charged in state and federal court over the alleged plan to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer.
So far, nine people have been convicted in connection to the case, while three others, including Michael and William Null, are gearing up for trial.
Below is everything to know about the twin brothers and their involvement.
Who are Michael and William Null?
Michael and William Null are twin brothers and suspects in the Gov. Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plot.
It is alleged that they were among 14 men who plotted to kidnap Whitmer at her vacation home in Antrim County in 2020.
Prosecutors argue that the alleged plan was over her strict Covid-19 shutdowns, according to ABC News.
The Null brothers, who, according to prosecutors, were linked to the militia group the Wolverine Watchmen, have since been charged by the state with providing material support for terrorist acts and illegally possessing firearms. They have pleaded not guilty.
Jury selection for their case, which is being tried alongside alleged co-conspirator Eric Molitor, began on August 21, 2023.
When was the Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping plan busted?
The Whitmer kidnapping plot was busted by the FBI in October 2020 after one of the group’s members became a confidential informant, according to ABC News.
The Democratic governor was ultimately unharmed, and later blamed then-President Donald Trump for “stoking” hate, calling the suspects “sick and depraved men.”
“This should be a moment for national unity where we all pull together as Americans to meet this challenge head on with the same might and muscle that put a man on the moon,” Whitmer said during a news conference, via ABC News.
“Instead our head of state has spent the past seven months denying science, ignoring his own health experts, stoking distrust and fomenting anger and giving comfort to those who spread hatred and division.”
She continued: “Just last week the president of the United States stood before the American people and refused to condemn white supremacists and hate groups like these two militia groups.
“‘Stand back and stand by,’ he told them. ‘Stand back and stand by.’ Hate groups heard the president’s words not as a rebuke but as a rallying cry, as a call to action.
“When our leaders speak, their words matter. They carry weight,” Whitmer added.
“When our leaders meet with, encourage or fraternize with domestic terrorists they legitimize their actions and they were complicit.
“When they contribute to hate speech, they are complicit.”
In response to Whitmer’s speech, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that Trump had “continually condemned white supremacists and all forms of hate” and that “America stands united against hate and in support of our federal law enforcement who stopped this plot.”
Despite McEnany’s initial statement, Trump later called the kidnapping plan a “fake deal” in August 2022, according to the Associated Press.
Who else was involved in the kidnapping plan?
As of August 2023, nine people have been convicted in state or federal court in connection to the alleged plot, according to ABC News.
Pete Musico, Joseph Morrison, and Paul Bellar were convicted of providing material support for a terrorist act, in addition to firearms charges, while Adam Fox and Barry Croft Jr. were found guilty of federal conspiracy charges.
Kaleb Franks, Ty Garbin, Brian Higgins, and Shawn Fix also pleaded guilty to lesser charges in connection to the case, ABC News notes.
“There must be accountability and consequences for those who commit heinous crimes,” Whitmer’s office said in a statement, via ABC News.
“Without accountability, extremists will be emboldened.”
Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta also faced federal conspiracy charges stemming from the case but a jury found them not guilty.
Where are the Null Brothers now?
Michael and William Null – who are accused to having taken part in a plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer – appeared in an Antrim County courtroom on August 17, 2023.
The Null Brothers alongside one Eric Molitor pleaded not-guilty to charges stemming from arrests in October of 2020.
Currently, they are are gearing up for trial.