GOP House Whip Tom Emmer Says He Was the Latest Political ‘Swatting’ Victim

House Majority Whip Rep. Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) watches as the House of Representatives votes for a third time on whether to elevate Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to Speaker of the House in the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Oct. 20, 2023. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-Minn.) says he was the latest U.S. political figure to have police show up at his home after a bogus emergency call.

“Tonight my family and I were the target of a ’swatting' incident involving a 911 prank call that wrongly diverted a police presence to my home. Sadly, this illegal and dangerous scheme is being used nationwide to target elected officials,” Mr. Emmer said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on the evening of Jan. 27. “Thankfully, no one was home or injured. I condemn this illegal abuse of police resources. I want to thank the Wright County Sheriff’s Office for their professionalism and support. I will have no additional comment on this matter.”

Making a false emergency call with the intent to harass the targeted person is commonly referred to as “swatting.” This method of harassment is called “swatting” because it often entails reporting an active threat of violence, which can prompt a heavily armed response from police special weapons and tactics (SWAT) teams.

Swatting runs the risk of getting innocent people injured or killed by heavily armed law enforcement officers who respond to these emergency alerts expecting an active shooter or other deadly threat.

This was the case during a December 2017 incident in which an online argument over a video game resulted in a bogus call that saw police in Wichita, Kansas, called to a home where a law enforcement officer fatally shot a homeowner who had no involvement in the online dispute. Tyler Barriss admitted in federal court to making the bogus police call and was sentenced in 2019 to 20 years in prison.

Political Swatting Attacks Continue

The Republican House majority whip is one of several lawmakers who have reported being targeted by these false police reports in recent weeks.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said she was the victim of a false police call on Dec. 21, 2023, and again just days later, on Christmas Day.

Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.) also reported being targeted with an apparent swatting call on Christmas Day, with the caller claiming that there had been a shooting at Mr. Williams’s residence.

The Naples, Florida, home of Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) was targeted with another bogus emergency call on Dec. 27, 2023. During that incident, the caller similarly claimed he had shot his wife three times with an AR-15-style rifle because he found her sleeping with another man. The caller also said he had a pipe bomb and would blow up the residence if someone did not bring him $10,000.

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, a Democrat, reported her home was also targeted with an apparent swatting call on Christmas Day. A Boston Police Department spokesman told Boston 25 News that the department had indeed responded to a call at an address matching Ms. Wu’s home. Like the call targeting Mr. Scott, the caller who had targeted Ms. Wu’s residence had also claimed that he found his wife sleeping with another man and shot her. Upon arriving at Ms. Wu’s home, responding officers quickly determined the incident to be a hoax.

Emergency crews were even dispatched to the White House earlier this month after someone placed a call reporting a fire at the presidential residence. First responders quickly determined that that call was also a hoax.

Lawmakers Seek Stronger Penalties for Harassment

Mr. Scott introduced legislation earlier this month in an effort to raise the penalties for those who use swatting as a means to harass people. The bill, dubbed the “Preserving Safe Communities by Ending Swatting Act,” would allow for a punishment of up to 20 years imprisonment if someone is hurt as a result of a swatting attack.

“Last month, criminals attempted a ‘swatting’ on my home in Florida in a despicable act of cowardice, clearly intending to terrorize my family and inflict fear and violence,” he said upon introducing the bill on Jan. 17.

The bill has garnered the support of the National Association of Police Organizations, as well as the National Sheriffs’ Association.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the work of law enforcement around our nation to keep us safe and put their lives on the line every day. They shouldn’t be put in danger and have their time and resources wasted because of these disgusting hoaxes,” Mr. Scott said. “Today, I am introducing a bill to make sure the criminals who make these false calls and waste law enforcement resources face serious consequences, including years in prison, if anyone is seriously harmed. We must send a message to the cowards behind these calls—this isn’t a joke, it’s a crime.”

The bill has drawn support from Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.).

From NTD