https://sputnikglobe.com/20231231/maines-secretary-of-state-was-targeted-in-a-swatting-call-following-trump-ballot-decision-1115922512.html
Maine’s Secretary of State Targeted in a Swatting Call Following Trump, Ballot Decision
Maine’s Secretary of State Targeted in a Swatting Call Following Trump, Ballot Decision
Sputnik International
Shenna Bellows, Maine’s Secretary of State, was targeted in a fake emergency call just one day after her decision to disqualify former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 Republican presidential primary ballot.
2023-12-31T22:28+0000
2023-12-31T22:28+0000
2023-12-31T22:29+0000
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Maine State Police said they responded to a hoax emergency call at the secretary of state’s house on Friday night. Bellows lives in the small town of Manchester, which holds a population of less than 2,500 people, according to data from 2020. The town sits just outside of the capital of Maine.An unidentified man called and said he had broken into Bellows’ home in Manchester. Bellows, 48, and her family were not home at the time of the call. Police checked both the inside and outside of her home, but did not find anyone. Nothing suspicious was found, either, according to reports.Bellows is not the first politician to experience “swatting”—the intent of which is to get Swat teams, and other first responders, to show up to a residence following a fake phone call to emergency services. Suspects in these cases can be arrested and charged.While it has not been reported what the incentive of the swatting attempt against Bellows was, it followed a conservative individual’s decision to post her home address on social media.“And it was posted in anger and with violent intent by those who have been extending threatening communications toward me, my family and my office,” Bellows said.Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was the target of a swatting attempt at her Georgia residence on Christmas morning, Greene and local police said. A man from New York called the Georgia suicide hotline claiming he had shot his girlfriend at Greene’s home and was about to kill himself. Police are reportedly investigating the incident.Other politicians in the US have been targets of the swatting calls, including: Senator Rick Scott of Florida, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.Maine became the second US state to strike Trump from their primary ballot, following Colorado’s decision about 10 days prior. The former president has been ruled by the two states as not eligible to hold office under section 3 of the 14th Amendment for his role in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.Maine’s decision can still be appealed to the state’s judicial supreme court, while the ruling made by Colorado’s Supreme Court has made its way to the doorstep for the US Supreme Court. On Thursday, Colorado said that with Trump's appeal filed, he will be included as a candidate on the state’s primary ballot unless the US Supreme Court declines to hear the case, or upholds the state’s decision. The US Supreme Court is made up of a majority of conservative justices, three of which were appointed by Trump himself.
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Maine’s Secretary of State Targeted in a Swatting Call Following Trump, Ballot Decision
22:28 GMT 31.12.2023 (Updated: 22:29 GMT 31.12.2023) Shenna Bellows, Maine’s Secretary of State, was targeted in a fake emergency call just one day after her decision to disqualify former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 Republican presidential primary ballot.
Maine State Police said they responded to a hoax emergency call at the secretary of state’s house on Friday night. Bellows lives in the small town of Manchester, which holds a population of less than 2,500 people, according to data from 2020. The town sits just outside of the capital of Maine.
An unidentified man called and said he had broken into Bellows’ home in Manchester. Bellows, 48, and her family were not home at the time of the call. Police checked both the inside and outside of her home, but did not find anyone. Nothing suspicious was found, either, according to reports.
“The Maine State Police is working with our law enforcement partners to provide special attention to any and all appropriate locations,” the public safety statement said.
Bellows is not the first politician to experience “swatting”—the intent of which is to get Swat teams, and other first responders, to show up to a residence following a fake phone call to emergency services. Suspects in these cases can be arrested and charged.
While it has not been reported what the incentive of the swatting attempt against Bellows was, it followed a conservative individual’s decision to post her home address on social media.
“And it was posted in anger and with violent intent by those who have been extending threatening communications toward me, my family and my office,” Bellows said.
“I think it is extraordinarily important that everyone deescalate the rhetoric and remember the values that make our democratic republic and here in Maine, our state, so great,” she added.
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) was the target of a swatting attempt at her Georgia residence on Christmas morning, Greene and local police said. A man from New York called the Georgia suicide hotline claiming he had shot his girlfriend at Greene’s home and was about to kill himself. Police are reportedly investigating the incident.
Other
politicians in the US have been targets of the swatting calls, including: Senator Rick Scott of Florida, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Maine became the second US state to strike Trump from their primary ballot, following Colorado’s decision about 10 days prior. The former president has been ruled by the two states as not eligible to hold office under section 3 of the 14th Amendment for his role in the January 6, 2021 assault on the US Capitol.
Maine’s decision can still be appealed to the state’s judicial supreme court, while the ruling made by Colorado’s Supreme Court has made its way to the doorstep for the US Supreme Court. On Thursday, Colorado said that with Trump's appeal filed, he will be included as a candidate on the state’s primary ballot unless the US Supreme Court declines to hear the case, or upholds the state’s decision.
The US Supreme Court is made up of a majority of conservative justices, three of which were appointed by Trump himself.
26 December 2023, 03:25 GMT
