Republican lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene shared a screenshot of a death threat she puportedly received days before a “swatting” attempt at her home on Christmas.
“We received this death threat where this man is saying I will be shot in the head and skinned to make a ‘parasol’ making a reference to Gein, who was a psychopath killer who would make things out of his victim’s skin,” Ms Greene wrote on X, posting screenshots of messages from an individual named Ben McLean.
“Swatting” typically involves a fake emergency call to 911 operators that can lead to heavily armed and armoured law enforcement teams being dispatched.
Ms Greene said the US Capitol Police interviewed Mr McLean but he has not yet been arrested. The representative also shared a screenshot of an email she says US Capitol Police sent her after the interview. The email states Mr McLean told police “he has no intent to harm anyone.”
The US Capitol Police told The Independent they work closely with federal and local law enforcement when members of Congress are victims of “swatting.” They declined to provide further information to protect the investigation.
On 25 December, the Georgia representative posted on X: “I was just swatted. This is like the 8th time. On Christmas with my family here.
“My local police are the GREATEST and shouldn’t have to deal with this. I appreciate them so much and my family and I are in joyous spirits celebrating the birth of our savior Jesus Christ!”
The police department in Rome, Georgia confirmed the incident took place, NBC News reported.
Major Rodney Bailey said that a person in New York made a call to the suicide hotline, claiming that he had shot his girlfriend at Ms Greene's address in Georgia and threatening to kill himself.
Police contacted Ms Greene's local security liaison about the call. Her security team decided officers did not need to respond to her home and a police response was cancelled.
“We determined before our personnel could get to her location that there was no emergency and there was no reason to respond,” said Kelly Madden, a spokesperson for the police department in Georgia, told the Associated Press. “Her security detail had it all under control, and there actually was nothing going on.”
The criminal investigations division is working to identify Monday’s caller and build a case, Ms Madden said.
Ms Greene has previously claimed left-wing activists staged similar attacks by placing 911 calls that prompted officers to visit her home in Georgia.
In August 2022, Rome Police Department officers responded to a 911 call that claimed a person was “shot multiple times at an address within the city limits”.
“When officers responded they discovered this was the home of Marjorie Taylor Greene,” according to a statement from the department at the time. “She assured the officers there was no issue and the call was determined to be a false call commonly known as ‘swatting’.”
The Rome police department said it has subsequently formed a working relationship with Ms Greene's security detail to better assess the threat level.
The Independent has contacted Ms Greene and the Rome Police Department for comment.
Ms Greene was not alone in having her Christmas Day interrupted.
Fellow Republican Rep Brandon Williams of New York was also swatted during the afternoon.
He tweeted: “Our home was swatted this afternoon. Thanks to the Deputies and Troopers who contacted me before arriving.”
“They left with homemade cookies and spiced nuts! Merry Christmas everyone!”
