Detroit — Within two months in late 2025, two of Michigan’s most polarizing Democratic leaders, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II and Senator Elissa Slotkin, each reported on social media that they received bomb threats to their homes.
Gilchrist’s threat came the day after Charlie Kirk was assassinated, while Slotkin’s came the day after President Donald Trump criticized her and other Democrats for a military-related video he labeled “seditious.”
Both Gilchrist and Slotkin never back away from an opportunity to get in front of a camera and splurge whatever they have to for political gain. With tensions rising dramatically after the Kirk assassination, the pendulum was negatively shifting in the direction of Democrats.
It seems like all politicians get swatted at some point, but Gilchrist and Slotkin’s press releases and public statements would make you think their lives were really at stake.
On the evening of Sept. 11, Gilchrist claimed that his family home, where he raises his children, was targeted with a “credible bomb threat.” He thanked law enforcement for keeping his family safe and took the opportunity to make a broader point.
“I know that people are on edge—it’s a scary time. This incident came just a day after the murder of Charlie Kirk and in the midst of an escalating pattern of political violence in Michigan and in America. The purpose of this violence is to silence, intimidate, and eliminate people and their voices from our society. That won’t work on me. We cannot let this remain our reality.”
I’m sorry, what?
Curious, I filed a FOIA request with Michigan State Police because certainly there had to be an extensive incident report detailing the threat. When I was in high school, a kid called in a bomb threat because he didn’t want to take a test, and he was promptly expelled. Certainly, with increasing political violence, I assumed Michigan State Police would have some answers, and I was going to find them.
The Michigan State Police report revealed the incident occurred at a property in Detroit in his name located near the MGM Casino (no, not the house of skank). The incident was handled by Detroit Police Bomb Squad. MSP stated that the Governor’s detail made the request, but no information was provided on how the threat was communicated to Gilchrist.
The report goes on that the outside of the building was searched, and when “Ms. Gilchrist” was asked about letting officers inside for a full sweep, she said she did not want the inside of the property searched.
Let me say that again: She did not want the inside of the residence searched after a bomb threat was reported toward her and her family.
The report wraps up with nothing suspicious located and no forced entry was found, so MSP cleared the property without further incident.
A lot of things don’t add up here, so I kept pushing and requested another FOIA, but this time to the Detroit Police. The incident report finally shed some light on how the threat was communicated: an anonymous phone call.
The report says: “VIP Bomb threat… Note was signed MAGA… City told them a pipe bomb will go off if his OFFICE door is opened in 48 hours… BOMB: Blk powder, few cords, and Kitchen Timer.”
“Caller states HE put a pipe bomb in the door of this location,” the 911 report goes on to say.
Called in? A note signed MAGA? Details of the bomb? Called in by whom? How can you have a note signed “MAGA” called in? How can the city of Detroit say what the bomb looked like when nothing was ever found?
I then checked the reporting officer narrative. That narrative suggested the bomb squad and canine units searched the building but did not enter Gilchrist’s office under orders from state police.
“MSP arrived and performed a bomb sweep of Lt. Governor Gilchrist’s office space and found no explosive devices,” the Detroit officer said. “MSP called the property clear and safe at approximately 1530 hrs.”
MSP arrived and performed a bomb sweep? Well not according to MSP themselves. And an interior search was done? I was told “Ms. Gilchrist” refused an internal search.
Not to be outdone, on Nov. 21, Slotkin posted to her social media that she also was the target of a bomb threat to her home after President Donald Trump made a blanket statement about Democrats.
“This evening, Michigan State Police responded to Senator Slotkin’s home in response to a bomb threat,” Slotkin’s office posted. “The Senator wasn’t home at the time. MSP searched the property and confirmed no one was in danger.”
Now we all know that CIA Slotkin uses her family farm in Holly as a stage prop so she can pretend like she’s a real Michigander.
There was no suspect, no method of how the threat was communicated and, most likely, no real danger. So I began making FOIA requests surrounding the incident.
According to the Michigan State Police report, the threat came via email. It was not sent to Slotkin, but to Holly Chief of Police Jerry Narsh.
You read that correctly: A bomb threat was sent to a local police chief that was intended for the senator. Of course what was said in the threat was redacted, but nevertheless, the threatening email was forwarded from Narsh to MSP.
This time MSP Bomb Squad actually responded (even though Slotkin had 24-hour surveillance on her home with active-duty officers parked in her driveway) by sending out a K9 team and doing a radiograph of her mailbox, eventually clearing the scene.
What are the odds that two of Michigan’s most powerful Democratic figures were both targeted by bomb threats and the mastermind criminals behind each incident have not been found?
Slotkin has mentioned the alleged threat a few times since the initial post in November during press conferences to make herself a victim.
Apparently, if you make a threat to a Democratic leader in our state, nothing will happen. Police will do the bare minimum to find suspects, and tracing emails and phone numbers is virtually impossible unless you conspire with the FBI to kidnap the governor.
Matt St. Jean is a contributing writer for Michigan Enjoyer.
