A number of elected officials and public figures have been “swatted” over the holiday season, which is the act of making a false police report in an attempt to get authorities, especially a SWAT team, to respond. In 2008, the FBI issued a news release about what was then a “new phenomenon,” explaining how the “calls are dangerous to first responders and to the victims.”
“The callers often tell tales of hostages about to be executed or bombs about to go off,” the FBI said. “The community is placed in danger as responders rush to the scene, taking them away from real emergencies. And the officers are placed in danger as unsuspecting residents may try to defend themselves.”
Here are some of the most recent victims of swatting, which have targeted those on the political right and left:
John Paul Mac Isaac, the computer repairman who exposed Hunter Biden’s laptop, said he was swatted on Friday. “My home was swatted tonight, I was not home but the outstanding men and women of the Wilmington PD responded quickly and professionally,” he wrote on X on Dec. 29. “All that was achieved was the wasted time of the Wilmington PD. NOTHING, let me repeat that, NOTHING will take me out of this fight! Cheers!”
George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley was swatted, with a 911 caller falsely claiming someone was shot at his home in Virginia. “Yes, I was swatted this evening. It is regrettably a manifestation of our age of rage,” he said in a statement on Friday.
“However, we are grateful to the Fairfax police officers who were highly professional and supportive in responding to this harassment,” Turley added.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) said he was swatted las week. “Last night, while at dinner with my wife, cowards ‘swatted’ my home in Naples. These criminals wasted the time & resources of our law enforcement in a sick attempt to terrorize my family,” he wrote on X.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was swatted on Christmas Day.
"I have been swatted 8 times but the FBI can’t seem to figure out who is responsible for the swatting and says the law doesn’t allow them to track them down," Greene said. "The FBI can do so many things, has even abused FISA to spy on hundreds of thousands of Americans, but can not figure out who wants me killed by a hail of bullets fired by a SWAT team responding to murder suicide calls supposedly coming from me. Thankfully my local police are far too smart, know me well, and know exactly what these swatting calls are. I know there are good FBI agents that are completely sick and tired of the Biden administration they work under. Swatting is extremely dangerous and people have been killed as a result from swatting calls. It’s also a waste of police time and resources and harassment."
Her daughters’ homes were both swatted as well.
Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) was also swatted on Christmas. “Our home was swatted this afternoon,” he wrote on X. “Thanks to the Deputies and Troopers who contacted me before arriving. They left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts! Merry Christmas everyone!”
Boston Mayor Michelle Wu was swatted on Christmas. "For better or worse, my family are a bit used to it by now, and we have a good system with the department," the Democrat told WBUR. "When there are true emergencies that happen and there are resources being deployed in this way, it is concerning.”
In Ohio, Attorney General Dave Yost, State Representative Kevin Miller, state Sen. Andrew Brenner, and former Rep. Rick Carfagna were swatted, according to WBNS.
In Georgia, GOP state Sens. John Albers, Kay Kirkpatrick and Clint Dixon were swatted on Christmas Day, and Democrat Kim Jackson was too, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. Additionally, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, a Republican, was swatted and had a bomb threat called into his office, he said on X.
9. Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows was swatted over the weekend, days after she ruled former President Trump ineligible to be on the primary ballot.
"We were not home yesterday when threats escalated, and our home address was posted online. It was a good thing because our home was swatted last night. That’s when someone calls in a fake emergency to evoke a strong law enforcement response to scare the target. Swatting incidents have resulted in casualties although thankfully this one did not," Bellows said.
"This behavior is unacceptable," she continued. "The non-stop threatening communications the people who work for me endured all day yesterday is unacceptable. It’s designed to scare not only me but also others into silence, to send a message."
The Democrat added: "We should be able to agree to disagree on important issues without threats and violence.”
Turley said swatting keeps happening because “this is a crime that flourishes because there is insufficient deterrent.” Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene vowed to change that.
"I will be introducing legislation to track down swatters," she said on X. "I will never stop fighting for what is right and I will always put America first! No matter what or who attacks me."