The house of former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley (R) was visited by police after an apparently false emergency report. The ‘swatting’ incident came about a month after a number of conservative figures saw their houses visited by police due to false reports.
The event happened in 2023 but was just reported to the public. The police traveled to Haley’s house after a man called the police, claiming that he had shot a woman and threatened self-harm. There was no comment from the Haley campaign on the incident.
Several members of the conservative movement saw similar swatting incidents last year.
The swatting calls included more than a dozen officials. One of the victims, Rep. Brandon Williams (R-NY) called the event “an assassination attempt.”
“They are looking for a violent act to happen at your home at the hands of the police,” Williams said.
According to the representative, police received a call that claimed a shooting happened at his home. This led to Sheriff’s deputies coming to Williams’ driveway, leading to the New York Republican to approach them with his hands raised.
“You have to de-escalate and sort of disarm the situation, because the police have a job to do. And thank goodness they’re willing to do that job,” he said.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) was also swatted, as was Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA).
The representative wrote on social media on Christmas day that this was the eighth such swatting attempt. “On Christmas with my family here,” he wrote.
Despite the false call, Taylor Greene wrote that the local police “are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
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
“I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!” Greene wrote.
The same also happened to Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows (D), who deemed that former President Donald Trump was not eligible for the state’s Republican presidential primary ballot.
The United States saw more than 500 such swatting incidents from May of last year until the end of 2023.
