On Christmas Day, a prankster reportedly “swatted” Rep. Brandon Williams. In other words, the prankster apparently tried to send a SWAT team to come to someone else’s home.
Williams, a New York Republican, announced the incident later that day… and he wasn’t alone.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also recounted a swatting incident occurring on Christmas.
Williams characterized the swatting as politically motivated.
“On Christmas, someone swatted my home in an attempt to silence or frighten me and my family,” he tweeted Tuesday. I will NEVER back down.”
Williams also thanked the U.S. Capitol Police for their cooperation, and he slammed local media for making the situation worse by publishing a photo of his home. ”
“Today local ‘news’ doxxed us by publishing a photo of my home, why? To make it easier to target my family? You put my family’s lives at risk,” Williams wrote in a tweet directed at Syracuse.com. “Shame on you.”
In swatting incidents, pranksters lead police to treat victims as possible threats. For that reason, swatters put their victims at risk.
Williams himself explained, “Someone hoped police might accidentally kill me and my family.”
Since Monday, Williams has been publicizing details about the incident. He thanked the law enforcement officers “who contacted me before arriving.”
“They left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts,” Williams said of the deputies.
It is very unusual for law enforcement to contact someone before knocking on his door. However, some members of Congress maintain a security detail to coordinate with the police.
In Greene’s case, local police in Georgia pinged multiple phony reports to her address.
“While en route to the address, personnel with the Rome (GA) Police Department coordinated with Greene’s security detail to ensure her safety as well as determine that there was in fact no emergency at the address,” a police spokesperson told The Hill Monday.
Greene, like Williams, announced a prank occurring on Christmas.
“I was just swatted. This is like the 8th time. On Christmas with my family here,” Greene tweeted Monday.
“My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this. I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!”
It remains unknown whether the two cases are related.
Last year, Greene was reportedly swatted twice in two days, and police have been investigating more and more threats against lawmakers in recent years.
Since June, federal law enforcement has been maintaining a national database of swatting incidents, and police have recorded swatting threats against schoolteachers and celebrities, in addition to just politicians.
I was just swatted.
This is like the 8th time.
On Christmas with my family here.
My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this.
I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) December 25, 2023
Our home was swatted this afternoon. Thanks to the Deputies and Troopers who contacted me before arriving.
They left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts! Merry Christmas everyone! pic.twitter.com/uQ2xkzLVJ6
— Rep. Brandon Williams (@RepWilliams) December 25, 2023
The Horn editorial team