The “swatting” epidemic is increasingly out of control, and a recent rash of false reports of shootings at the homes of public officials could pave the way for stricter penalties.
One example from last week, in addition to high-profile politicians and prominent conservative media figures, was John Paul Mac Isaac, the Delaware computer repairman who alerted the FBI about the contents of Hunter Biden’s abandoned laptop, which has prompted a criminal probe of Hunter and an impeachment inquiry of President Joe Biden.
Isaac reported on X (formerly Twitter) that Wilmington police showed up at his home Friday night for an emergency call that turned out to be bogus.
Isaac added that the only thing the call did was waste police officers’ time. “NOTHING will take me out of this fight!” he added.
Read: Florida Sen. Rick Scott Also Victimized By Swatting Incident During Holiday Week
Now, Sen. Rick Scott is pledging to make swatting — which involves making a deliberate phony call for emergency help at the target’s location in order to stoke an aggressive response from law enforcement — a federal crime.
Scott himself was targeted by a swatting attack last week.
“I’m going to make sure that the cowards who make these calls & waste law enforcement resources to terrorize & harass their targets will face real consequences,” the GOP senator said on X.
“I’m talking to law enforcement about what legislation is needed to guarantee justice when ‘swatting’ calls happen.”
On Saturday, after Alabama Republican Sen. Tommy Tuberville was targeted, Scott added on X, “The swatting attacks against our Jewish community, my family, @SenTuberville and others are dangerous and CRIMINAL. They threaten our law enforcement and everyone involved.”
“I hope these thugs are quickly identified and punished to the full extent of the law.”
Scott has joined Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia in pushing for a crackdown on swatting perps.
Greene was also swatted last week, on Christmas Day, the eighth time it has happened to her.
As the Tampa Free Press reported last week, Greene also has vowed to introduce legislation to address swatting when Congress reconvenes this week. In the wake of such incidents, conservatives on social media have said swatting callers should be charged with attempted murder.
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