Capitol Hill lawmakers experience surge of swatting calls, bomb threats in wake of November election
washington — Earlier this month, a woman Died in car accident In Rome, Georgia, her vehicle collided with that of a police officer who was responding to a false bomb threat at the home of Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. It was the latest in a series of threats that prompted police action against her and other MPs.
“That’s the trend we’re seeing,” U.S. Capitol Police Chief Thomas Manger told CBS News. “These people are being threatened at home and their families are being threatened.”
on December 11 senate hearingMager testified that there had been more than 50 so-called “beating” attacks against members of Congress in the last month. In these incidents, someone falsely claims a bomb or mass shooting occurred at a public official’s home to elicit a SWAT team response and potentially trigger tragedy.
“You know, you have a bunch of law enforcement officers knocking on doors, kicking down doors, and that’s going to cause disaster, it’s going to cause chaos, and it’s going to cause innocent people to get hurt or killed,” Mager said.
Manger said Capitol Police regularly receive multiple assault cases every day.
“This is happening all over the country,” Mange said. “So, yes, it did come to our attention.”
After a year of political violence, November’s election has yet to quell the frenzy. Several House members told CBS News they have received threats in recent weeks. Late last month, the Trump transition team explain Several members of President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet and Administration Featured He was also the target of a series of bomb threats and phone calls.
On December 10, an Illinois man arrested by capitol police About the accusation Attacking Republican Rep. Nancy Mace on Capitol Hill.
“I’m being unfairly attacked right now,” Mays told reporters on Nov. 19. “I’ve received death threats.”
exist. On November 8, Florida Democratic Representative Jared Moskowitz disclosed Authorities informed him of a “potential plot” to endanger his life.
“I’m fine, but, you know, I have a family at home that has to deal with all this?” Moskowitz also said on November 19.
Rep. Wiley Nickel, D-Calif., told CBS News recent editorials The Washington Post’s recommendations for tactics to thwart President-elect Donald Trump’s agenda have prompted a wave of death threats.
“My life, my family, my employees have been threatened, and you know, it’s very ugly,” Nickell told CBS News on November 19.
In response to the surge in harassment, Capitol Police are deploying more officers to elected officials’ home communities and airports, and are helping elected officials beef up security systems at their homes and home offices.
