Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey joined Boston Public Radio on Thursday. In the interview, she responded to breaking news Thursday afternoon that the FBI had charged six men in an attempt to depose Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; discussed charges her office brought against two leaders of the Holyoke Soldiers Home; and took listener calls.
On news that the FBI had foiled a plot to overthrow Michigan Gov. Whitmer.
The FBI announced Thursday that six men who were coordinating with an anti-government militia group had been plotting to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.
"It's wild and it's not so wild," said Healey. "The reality is right now, if you look at what's happening on social media, I know the threats that public officials face every day ... We may not see a lot of it here in Massachusetts but I'm on the phone regularly with my colleagues in other states."
In April, thousands of people gathered at the Michigan State Capitol to protest executive orders Whitmer, a Democrat, had issued imposing restrictions on businesses and gatherings in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19. In response to that protest, President Trump tweeted "LIBERATE MICHIGAN."
Healey mentioned the President's more recent comments during the Presidential debate where he refused to offer an explicit condemnation of white supremacy, and instead said his message to a far-right militia group known as the Proud Boys is to "stand back and stand by."
"Unfortunately, what Donald Trump has done as we've said before, his statement during the debate, his failure to denounce white supremacists, his essentially, not only giving the Proud Boys a pass but giving them a megaphone, condoning their behavior and worse yet, enlisting them in the effort to suppress the vote and intimidate voters, that's what you see play out."
Healey also brought up a case filed recently by the Michigan Attorney General against far-right conspiracy theorists who allegedly organized tens of thousands of robo-calls targeting people of color in the state, in an attempt to intimidate them and prevent them from voting in November.
Healey said her office has formed an election protection team to ensure everyone is able to exercise their right to vote in the state.
"We will prosecute anyone who intimidates or obstructs voters," she said.
Healey's office has brought charges against two former leaders of the Holyoke Soldiers Home for their handling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the facility. Healey said her office continues to investigate other long term care facilities, which have been hit hard by the coronavirus.
Former Superintendent of the home Bennett Walsh, and its medical director David Clinton, were indicted on charges of criminal neglect stemming from a decision to combine two dimentia units, mixing COVID-positive residents with others who had no symptoms. That decision, according to the Attorney General's office, contributed to the deaths of at least 76 residents.
Healey said Thursday that there are "active and ongoing investigations into other homes that may have mismanaged their COVID-19 response," though she did not elaborate on the investigations.
"Not every investigation may be criminal, there may be civil remedies as well, we'll just go where the facts take us."
On a Kentucky grand jury deciding not to charge any officer directly in the killing of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor.
"It is just such a tragedy. Breonna Taylor was an EMT, an aspiring nurse. Her killing, the way she was killed, it’s just so so upsetting. I had a conversation with one of my nieces and she said to me ... 'The neighbors who are white got more protection and justice than she did and she was killed.' I mean that’s what happened right? The charges were brought only for the errant bullets that went into the neighbors' wall," said Healey.
"So I understand why people are upset, I also understand as Attorney General I don’t have all the evidence I don’t have all the facts. Clearly it's terrible and its wrong that this woman ends up dead. Whether different charges should have been brought, I would hope that that was closely looked at and examine. It's hard for me to comment without knowing anything."
