The Gist Ken Bensinger: "To catch the devil, sometimes you have to go to hell."
Sep 21, 2026
Ken Bensinger, an investigative journalist covering right-wing media and national politics, examines the alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. He explores FBI informants, militia networks, pandemic-fueled extremism, and the fine line between thwarting violence and provoking it. Secret recordings, courtroom evidence rules, media narratives, acquittals, and institutional fear round out this gripping investigation.
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The Informant And The Basement Recruit
- Adam Fox lived in a basement without running water, while Dan Chappell was an Iraq veteran working odd jobs.
- Chappell joined the FBI after encountering the Wolverine Watchmen online and began informing on them.
How Dan Chappell Built The Connection
- Chappell connected separate militia circles after hearing Fox had made explosive remarks at an Ohio meeting.
- Bensinger describes Chappell as the catalyst who brought Fox into the group.
Lockdown Anger Met Military Fanfasy
- Pandemic lockdowns intensified existing anti-government anger, while Chappell’s military credibility made extreme training persuasive.
- The group wanted Fox as a general, but the FBI informant increasingly supplied operational direction.