U.S. News
Marjorie Taylor Greene calls out ‘deranged’ swatters after dozen fake emergency calls to her home
By Jake Beardslee · February 13, 2024
In brief…
- Greene and Jones claim they have been victims of swatting 14 times
- They argue swatting endangers police and wastes department resources
- The politicians will seek to make swatting a federal crime and increase state penalties
Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lieutenant Governor Burt Jones spoke out against “swatting” attacks that have targeted them in an opinion piece for The Daily Caller. Swatting involves making hoax emergency calls to dispatch police or armed response units to a person’s home, which Greene called a “deranged” act carried out by “spineless” individuals.
Greene and Jones said they have been victims of swatting a total of 14 times, putting themselves and their families at unnecessary risk of harm, according to Newsweek. Other recent political targets of swatting included Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows and former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley.
In their column, Greene and Jones argued that swatting wastes valuable police resources as officers respond to fake emergencies meant to “stoke fear, chaos, and violence.” They stated that “this type of deranged behavior cannot be allowed to continue.” The piece noted that swatting also endangers law enforcement by sending them into potentially dangerous situations under false pretenses.
As Greene and Jones put it, “every second spent responding to a fake emergency is wasted time that our law enforcement could spend fighting the skyrocketing waves of crime.”
The Georgia politicians are seeking to make swatting a federal crime and strengthen sentencing in Georgia for such offenses. As Greene and Jones wrote, “increased sentences will help to both deter future criminal activity while enabling law enforcement to properly punish criminals.” They vowed that threats will not interfere with their “capacity and willingness to lead.”