Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was “swatted” in the early hours of Wednesday morning at her home on Floyd County, Georgia.
According to WAGA-TV, swatting refers to an act in which someone makes a fake call to 911 with the goal of motivating officers to respond to someone’s house.
The people making the calls often use software to trick law enforcement into believing they are at the location where they want to send the officers, and the dangerous prank can turn deadly if officers mistakenly believe the threat is legitimate.
In this case, someone pretending to be at Greene’s home called 911 around 1 a.m. Wednesday morning. The person reported being shot multiple times, leading officers to deploy to Greene’s house.
When the officers arrived, they determined the call had been a prank.
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The dangerous prank appeared to be politically motivated, WAGA-TV reported. Police received a second call from a person using a “digitally-altered voice” who said they were angry at Greene over her views on transgender adolescents.
The outlet implied the swatting attack could have partially been motivated by what it called an “anti-transgender rights placard” that Greene placed outside the door of her office in February 2021. The sign in question simply stated Greene’s views about traditional gender.
“There are TWO genders: MALE & FEMALE,” the sign said. “Trust The Science.”
Our neighbor, @RepMarieNewman, wants to pass the so-called “Equality” Act to destroy women’s rights and religious freedoms.
Thought we’d put up ours so she can look at it every time she opens her door ??? https://t.co/7joKpTh6Dc pic.twitter.com/aBGRSiIF6X
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) February 24, 2021
Greene posted the sign in response to Democratic Rep. Marie Newman of Illinois, who attempted to taunt Greene for her opposition to the Equality Act by placing a transgender flag outside her office.
Our neighbor, @RepMTG, tried to block the Equality Act because she believes prohibiting discrimination against trans Americans is “disgusting, immoral, and evil.”
Thought we’d put up our Transgender flag so she can look at it every time she opens her door ??️⚧️ pic.twitter.com/dV8FatQFnx
— Congresswoman Marie Newman (@RepMarieNewman) February 24, 2021
Greene confirmed she had been the victim of a swatting attack in a tweet on Wednesday morning.
“Last night, I was swatted just after 1 am,” Greene wrote. “I can’t express enough gratitude to my local law enforcement here in Rome, Floyd County. More details to come.”
Last night, I was swatted just after 1 am.
I can’t express enough gratitude to my local law enforcement here in Rome, Floyd County.
More details to come.
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) August 24, 2022
Greene’s spokesperson Nick Dyer also confirmed the swatting attack, the Rome News-Tribune reported.
Is this retaliation for MTG’s support of Trump?
“Right now, Congresswoman Greene’s safety is our number one concern,” Dyer said. “Late last night, she was a victim of a political attack on her family and home. Whoever committed this violent crime will face the full extent of the law.”
In an additional tweet a few hours later, Greene quoted a portion of a story from the News-Tribune explaining the attack may have been motivated by the suspect’s anger over Greene’s views on transgenderism.
“If this is the war the left wants, this is the war the left will get,” Greene wrote. “I will never stop protecting children and defending their innocence. We have to immediately pass H.R. 8731, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, to end the mutilation of kids.”
If this is the war the left wants, this is the war the left will get. I will never stop protecting children and defending their innocence.
We have to immediately pass H.R. 8731, the Protect Children’s Innocence Act, to end the mutilation of kids. https://t.co/5DwA8sp5NS
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) August 24, 2022
Greene first introduced the Protect Children’s Innocence Act on Friday, The Hill reported. Her proposed bill would make it a felony for anyone to provide sex-change surgeries, puberty blockers and hormone therapy to minors. In an interview with Fox News’ Tucker Carlson on Thursday night, Greene said the bill was part of her continued commitment to protect children from abuse.
“When it comes to ‘gender-affirming care,’ which is really child abuse, this is actually an assault, and it’s child abuse,” Greene said.
Tomorrow, I will introduce the Protect Children’s Innocence Act to criminalize the child abuse that many call “gender-affirming care.”
My legislation would immediately make it a felony to subject children to puberty blockers or horrific “sex change” genital surgeries. pic.twitter.com/1jAwb1TwXR
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene?? (@RepMTG) August 19, 2022
“This practice should never happen,” Greene continued. “It’s so disgusting and appalling, and it’s an embarrassment to our country.”
Greene was not the first Republican in Georgia who reported being the victim of a swatting attack. Former gubernatorial candidate Kandiss Taylor said she and her family were swatted in July, and she called the incident “traumatizing” according to WAGA.
“I don’t care what political party you are — this is evil,” Taylor said. “This is not OK. And I will find out who swatted my house. And I will do everything in my power to bring them to justice.”
