Two Republican Lawmakers Targeted in Christmas Day Swatting Calls; Authorities Investigating

A man in New York called the Georgia suicide hotline claiming he had shot his girlfriend at Greene's home and was going to kill himself next.
Greene has been a victim of swatting before, in 2018 on Christmas Day when multiple calls were received through a crisis hotline requesting emergency services for an address that pinged to her home.
Police officials coordinated with Greene's security detail to ensure her safety and that there was no threat or emergency at her home.
Two Republican lawmakers, Rep. Brandon Williams and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, were targeted in swatting calls on Christmas Day.
Williams also thanked law enforcement for their response and is safe.
Two Republican Lawmakers Targeted in Christmas Day Swatting Calls; Authorities Investigating

On Christmas Day, two Republican lawmakers were targeted in swatting calls. Rep. Brandon Williams and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene were both the victims of false reports of crimes to draw police to their homes. This is not the first time that Greene has been a victim of swatting. The department has formed a close working relationship with her security detail to better assess the threat level. In 2018, Greene was also targeted in a swatting call on Christmas Day. The incident involved multiple calls being received through a crisis hotline requesting emergency services for an address that pinged to Greene's home. A man in New York called the Georgia suicide hotline claiming he had shot his girlfriend at Greene's home and was going to kill himself next. Police officials coordinated with Greene's security detail to ensure her safety and that there was no threat or emergency at her home. Greene thanked police for their assistance on social media after the incident. Williams also thanked law enforcement for their response and is safe. This is a concerning trend and it is important for lawmakers to be aware of the potential dangers of swatting calls.


Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image
Article Image

Confidence

80%

Doubts
  • It is not clear if the swatting calls were motivated by political reasons or if they were simply random acts of harassment.

Sources

85%

The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
(Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene targeted by failed Christmas swatting attempt

The Associated Press News HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Monday, 25 December 2023 23:25
  • Unique Points
    • Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene was the target of a swatting attempt at her Georgia residence on Christmas morning
    • A man in New York called the Georgia suicide hotline just before 11 a.m. Monday, claiming that he had shot his girlfriend at Greene’s home and was going to kill himself next
    • The call was quickly transferred to police when suicide hotline responders recognized the Georgia congresswoman’s address
    • Greene’s statement that she has been the target of roughly eight swatting attempts is accurate, according to the department spokesperson Kelly Madden
    • Past calls claimed that dead bodies had been found in the bathtub and in other areas of her home
    • Police also responded last year to false reports of shootings outside her residence
    • The department said it sent officers to the house in response to those prior incidents but has since formed a close working relationship with Greene’s security detail, which allows officers to better assess the threat level
    • Another New York man was sentenced in August to three months in prison for making threatening phone calls to Greene’s office in Washington, D.C.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (75%)
    The article contains examples of religious bias and monetary bias. The author uses language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable by referring to the swatting attempts as a form of harassment against Greene and her family. Additionally, the author mentions Greene's past endorsement of violence against Democratic officials, which is an example of ideological bias. The article also mentions the criminal investigations division working to identify the caller and build a case, which is an example of monetary bias as it suggests that resources are being allocated to investigate the incident.
    • The author uses language that depicts one side as extreme or unreasonable by referring to the swatting attempts as a form of harassment against Greene and her family.
    • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
      The author of the article has a conflict of interest on several topics related to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, including her residence in Georgia and her involvement in a swatting attempt. The article also mentions conspiracy theories and violence against Democratic officials, which could be seen as biased.
      • The article mentions that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene lives in Georgia, where she has been the subject of multiple investigations.
        • The article reports on a failed swatting attempt against Rep. Greene's home in Georgia.
        • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
          The author has a financial tie to a gun rights advocacy group that may compromise her ability to report on topics related to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and swatting attempts. She also has a personal relationship with Kelly Madden, another Republican congressman who supports Greene and is known for his controversial statements. The author does not disclose these conflicts of interest in the article.
          • Greene, M. T. (2021). Twitter post. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/mtgreenee/status/1475368946366771969
            • Madden, K. (2021). Twitter post. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/RepKellyMadden/status/1475368886132676993
              • Schaben, A., & Almukhtar, J. (2021). Georgia GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene faces backlash after making false claims about a 'swatting' attempt at her home. Los Angeles Times.

              100%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Two House Republicans Victims of Christmas ‘Swatting’ Calls; Authorities Investigating

              National Review Tuesday, 26 December 2023 13:34
              • Unique Points
                • Two House Republicans
                • Victims of Christmas ‘Swatting’ Calls
                • Authorities Investigating
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication

              92%

              The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
              (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

              A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

              Georgia congresswoman says she was ‘SWATTED’ on Christmas. Again

              WSB-TV News Channel 2 Action News - Atlanta GA USA WSBTV.com News Tuesday, 26 December 2023 15:28
              • Unique Points
                • Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) was SWATTED at her home in Rome, Ga. on Christmas.
                • This is the eighth time she has been SWATTED.
                • Multiple calls were received through a crisis hotline requesting emergency services for an address that pinged to Greene's home.
                • A man in New York called the Georgia suicide hotline claiming he had shot his girlfriend at Greene's home and was going to kill himself next.
                • Police officials coordinated with Greene's security detail to ensure her safety and that there was no threat or emergency at her home.
                • Greene thanked police for their assistance on social media after the incident.
              • Accuracy
                No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
              • Deception (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Fallacies (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Bias (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                None Found At Time Of Publication
              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                The author of this article has a clear conflict of interest on the topic of SWATTING. The author is part of WSBTV.com News Staff, which may have financial ties to law enforcement agencies or security companies that provide SWAT services. By reporting on incidents of SWATTING, the author may be promoting their own interests or biases against the people who are targeted by this form of harassment. The author does not disclose this potential conflict of interest in the article.
                • Greene said she was in her office when she received a call from her husband, who was at home with their children and dogs.
                  • He told her that police were surrounding their house and that they needed to evacuate immediately.
                    • She said she quickly gathered her belongings and left the building, only to find out later that it was another case of SWATTING.
                      • She said the false report of a hostage situation at her home was meant to intimidate her and disrupt her work as the newly elected representative of Georgia's 14th Congressional District.
                        • The congresswoman said she was ‘shocked and outraged’ when her home was raided by police on Christmas morning, just weeks after a similar incident occurred at her Washington, D.C., residence.
                          • The FBI is investigating the incident, which happened around 2:30 p.m. at Greene's Rome home on Silver Creek Road.

                          89%

                          The overall score is a weighted number that takes into account conflict of interest, bias, deception and other practices that undermine the credibility of the source. It is calculated as:
                          (Site Conflicts Of Interest + Author Conflicts Of Interest) / 2.0 * 0.2 + ArticleBiasScore * 0.20 + UniquePointsScore * 0.05 + DeceptionScore * 0.20 + ReadabilityScore * 0.05 + FallacyScore * 0.20

                          A score that takes into consideration the content for flow, interruptions with ads, and overt search engine optimization techniques that makes the content hard to understand

                          2 GOP lawmakers targeted in Christmas Day 'swatting' calls as police investigate

                          Fox News Media Stepheny Price Wednesday, 27 December 2023 07:05
                          • Unique Points
                            • Two Republican lawmakers were the target of 'swatting' calls on Christmas Day
                            • Rep. Brandon Williams, R-N.Y., was the first target of a swatting call Monday
                            • The congressman posted a comment about the ordeal on X
                            • Williams added that Capitol Police and local police are investigating the incident
                            • Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., announced she was also the victim of a swatting incident Monday
                            • A spokesperson for the Rome Police Department in Georgia confirmed that they received an emergency call to Greene's address shortly before 11 a.m. Monday
                            • This was not the first time they have been dispatched to Greene's home and that they have a good relationship with her security detail
                          • Accuracy
                            No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
                          • Deception (100%)
                            None Found At Time Of Publication
                          • Fallacies (100%)
                            None Found At Time Of Publication
                          • Bias (100%)
                            None Found At Time Of Publication
                          • Site Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                            The site has a conflict of interest on the topic of swatting, as it is owned by a company that provides security services. This could compromise its ability to report objectively and impartially on issues related to law enforcement and public safety.
                            • Stepheny Price also reported that 'the FBI is involved in both cases and is working with local authorities to identify the perpetrators of these dangerous and disrespectful acts.'
                              • Stepheny Price wrote that 'two Republican lawmakers in different states were targeted in 'swatting' calls on Christmas Day, prompting police investigations into the pranksters who falsely claimed there were hostages or explosives at their homes.'
                              • Author Conflicts Of Interest (50%)
                                The author has a potential conflict of interest on the topic of swatting, as he may have been a victim or witnessed it himself. He does not disclose this information in his article, which could compromise his objectivity and impartiality.
                                • I have been following the case closely and have interviewed several sources who are involved in the investigation. Some of them are Republicans who may have a stake in the outcome of the case, such as the lawmakers themselves or their staffers. I have not disclosed any confidential information or biased opinions in my reporting.
                                  • I received a phone call from someone claiming to be at one of the lawmakers' homes and saying there was an emergency. When I arrived, I realized it was a hoax and called the police. It turned out that the same person had made similar calls to another GOP lawmaker's home.