Swatting Attempt on Marjorie Taylor Greene's Residence
Republican U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was the target of a swatting attempt at her Georgia residence on Christmas morning, the congresswoman and local police said, marking the latest instance of someone calling in a fake emergency to try to draw armed officers or SWAT teams to her home.
The Rome (Georgia) Police Department quickly verified that the call was a hoax and didn't send officers to the house, department spokesperson Kelly Madden said.
"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," Greene wrote in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A man in New York called the Georgia suicide hotline just before 11 a.m. Monday, claiming he'd shot his girlfriend at Greene's home and was going to kill himself next, Madden said. The call was quickly transferred to police when suicide hotline responders recognized the Georgia congresswoman's address.
The department said it reached out to Greene's private security detail to confirm her safety and ascertain if there was an emergency at her residence. Upon investigation, it was determined that the call was a swatting attempt, leading to the cancellation of the police response, Madden explained.
"We established that there was no emergency and no reason for us to respond before our personnel could reach her location," she stated. "Her security detail had the situation under control, and there was actually no ongoing incident."
The congresswoman, who represents Rome, Dalton, and Calhoun in northwest Georgia, faced repercussions during her first term when the former House Democratic majority removed her from committee assignments due to racist remarks, her endorsement of conspiracy theories, and past support of violence against Democratic officials. However, she has since gained more influence under the current Republican leadership in the House and remains a prominent figure for the far-right.
The police department stated that they had dispatched officers to the residence in response to previous incidents, but they have now established a close working relationship with Greene's security detail. This collaboration allows the officers to better evaluate the level of threat. The department's criminal investigations division is currently working on identifying the caller from Monday and gathering evidence to build a case, according to Madden.
In August, another individual from New York was sentenced to three months in prison for making threatening phone calls to Greene's office in Washington, D.C.
Williams, Greene's husband, took to social media to share that their home had been targeted by a swatting incident. However, he expressed gratitude towards the Deputies and Troopers who contacted him prior to their arrival. Williams even mentioned that they left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts, spreading some holiday cheer.
