Swatting Incidents Targeting Politicians on the Rise During Holidays
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The holidays have seen a rash of "swatting" incidents targeting politicians, where fake emergency calls send police to victims' homes.
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High-profile targets include Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, but local politicians of both parties have been targeted too.
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Experts say swatting spreads when publicized, and attackers may try to intimidate politicians over their views, or get copycats.
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Swatting has grown over the past 15+ years into likely thousands of incidents, weaponizing police response to fake threats.
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Proposed federal legislation to combat swatting has stalled, possibly because politician supporters then get targeted.