Senator Saxby Chambliss demanded an inquiry into recent SWAT-ting incidents, writing, “Any potentially criminal action that incites fear, seeks to silence a dissenting opinion, and collaterally wastes the resources of law enforcement should be given close scrutiny at all levels…
Senator Saxby Chambliss
They call it “SWAT-ting.”
An anonymous scam-artist calls 911 to report a home invasion or other domestic disturbance. The caller disguises his/her location using voice-over IP technology, leading the police to believe the call is actually emanating from the residence of the scammer’s target. The police sense real danger and react accordingly, dispatching a SWAT team or other heavily armed unit to the target’s residence.
The target, unaware of the 911 call but intimately aware of the SWAT team that just kicked in the front door, is not pleased.
Several conservative bloggers, including Erick Erickson of RedState, have recently been targeted by SWAT-ting scams.
It may seem like a prank, but Senator Saxby Chambliss, R-Ga., isn’t laughing.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Chambliss demanded an inquiry into recent SWAT-ting incidents, writing, “Any potentially criminal action that incites fear, seeks to silence a dissenting opinion, and collaterally wastes the resources of law enforcement should be given close scrutiny at all levels… Regardless of any potential political differences that may exist, threats and intimidation have no place in our national political discourse. Those who choose to enter into that political discourse should not have to worry about potential threats to their or their family’s safety.”
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