Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/Getty
At a small late-October ceremony, Michigan State Rep. Rachelle Smit presented awards to twin brothers Michael and William Null.
“Michael Null is an outstanding example of the kind of person who is not content to sit idly while the forces of tyranny attack our Republic,” a certificate read. “Through his courageous efforts to expose the government’s false-flag Whitmer conspiracy, he has made it clear that we all have opportunities each and every day to put our love of country to good use in helping out our fellow citizens.”
The “false-flag Whitmer conspiracy” referenced in the document was a plot by members of a far-right militia group to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in 2020. Five members of the plot were found guilty at trial, while another four pleaded guilty, and five more were found not guilty. The Null brothers were the last to be acquitted in September. Some figures on the right, including current and former GOP officials, are already moving to valorize them.