“Just a month before 13 men were charged by state and federal law enforcement for a far-right plot to allegedly kidnap and execute Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey (R-Clarklake) had a sitdown conversation with leaders of three Michigan-based militias. ‘I was in Lansing and members – the leaders, the so-called leaders – of three of the groups met in my office and we talked about their messaging, their purpose, what they are trying to accomplish and how they could improve their message,’ he told JTV host Bart Hawley in an interview on Sept. 10. ‘It was very fascinating and they’re not uniquely different than you and I. They bleed red, white and blue, but they feel like they are not being heard.’ He claimed in the interview that Michigan State Police assisted him identifying the militia leaders and that such a meeting ‘has never been done before.’ A spokesperson for Shirkey did not respond to a request for comment” – Michigan Advance.