As Twitchy reported this weekend, members of Congress are finally seeking an investigation into the life-threatening use of SWAT-ting as a form of political terrorism. This morning, Congresswoman Sandy Adams (R-Fla.) spearheaded the effort, involving 85 members of Congress.
More, including the full text of the letter sent to Attorney General Holder, from RedState’s Erick Erickson, who was a victim of SWAT-ting himself.
Today, more than 80 members of the United States House of Representatives are also sending a letter to Attorney General Holder asking for an investigation.
Below the fold, I’ve put both the letter and the names of the signers. My wife and I would like to thank Senator Chambliss and the members of both the House and Senate who have decided to pursue this matter.
June 11, 2012The Honorable Eric Holder
U.S. Attorney General
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 5111
Washington, D.C. 20530-0009Dear Attorney General Holder:
We write you concerning the growing threat of “SWAT-ting” and its costly ramifications. These crimes occur when individuals call emergency dispatchers under the guise of another person’s name with fraudulent claims, causing local law enforcement to swarm the home of innocent Americans. SWAT-ting first arose in 2002, but as technology and the Internet has expanded, the dangers of SWAT-ting are also on the rise.
Investigators have concluded that the majority of SWAT-ting cases utilize voice over Internet (VOIP) connections between the suspect’s computer and a distant telephone network, and then dialing 911. This enables the suspect to falsify their identifying information, such as their telephone number and address, and make it nearly impossible for emergency dispatchers to identify or track the true origin of the call, or even pin-point calls from VOIP connections.
Some of these calls involve embellished schemes, including armed suspects and hostages, and in some instances, the caller claims that he has just killed someone. Moreover, the caller knowingly uses the identifying information of another person, who is usually an adversary of the caller. This elaborate hoax is all done with the goal of having law enforcement swarm the home of the caller’s foe, which only incites fear in and tarnishes the reputation of an innocent person.
Even worse, SWAT-ting is quickly becoming a scare tactic used against political bloggers, essentially stifling those bloggers’ First Amendment rights. Just last month, a popular blogger in the state of Georgia, Erick Erickson, became the latest victim of SWAT-ting. During the Erickson’s family dinner, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Erickson’s home after receiving a 911 call reporting an accidental shooting that appeared to have come from Erickson’s address. Fortunately, Erickson previously alerted police to SWAT-ting tactics; however, numerous similar scenarios have ended with guiltless victims held at gunpoint.
While none of the SWAT-ting victims have incurred physical harm from these hate filled ploys, we are gravely concerned that future victims may not find themselves so lucky. Plus, when law enforcement officers are responding to SWAT-ting claims, resources are diverted from those truly in need–all of this because of differences in political ideology.
Differences of opinion should enrich our lives, not divide us. Each American has the right to freely express his or her ideas and should not be subject to fear tactics like SWAT-ting, which run counter to the liberty that forms the bedrock of our great nation. These crimes are not to be tolerated and necessitate thorough examination at every level.
We urge you to hold true to those promises and work to ensure that criminals using fear in hopes to preventing others from exercising their First Amendment rights are held to the highest standard of the law. To this end, we implore you to thoroughly review each of these cases, determine whether any federal laws have been breached, and prosecute those crimes accordingly.
Sincerely,
Sandy Adams
Tom Graves (R-GA)
Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Trey Gowdy (R-SC)
Jim Jordan (R-OH)
Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Andy Harris (R-MD)
Steve Southerland (R-FL)
Joe Walsh (R-IL)
Paul Broun (R-GA)
Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA)
Bob Goodlatte (R-VA)
Morgan Griffith (R-VA)
Chip Cravaack (R-MN)
Jason Chaffetz (R-UT)
Phil Gingrey (R-GA)
Dan Burton (R-IN)
Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA)
Leonard Lance (R-NJ)
Jeff Duncan (R-SC)
Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA)
Daniel Webster (R-FL)
Allen West (R-FL)
Dennis Ross (R-FL)
Richard Nugent (R-FL)
Ben Quayle (R-AZ)
Tom Rooney (R-FL)
Todd Rokita (R-IN)
Renee Ellmers (R-NC)
David Reichert (R-WA)
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
Mary Bono Mack (R-CA)
Adam Kinzinger (R-IL)
Cory Gardner (R-CO)
Michael Grimm (R-NY)
Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY)
Don Manzullo (R-IL)
Bob Turner (R-NY)
Jon Runyan (R-NJ)
Don Young (R-AK)
Mike Kelly (R-PA)
Tom Marino (R-PA)
Lamar Smith (R-TX)
Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Michele Bachmann (R-MN)
Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE)
John Kline (R-MN)
Mo Brooks (R-AL)
Austin Scott (R-GA)
Pete Olson (R-TX)
Scott DesJarlais (R-TN)
Vicky Hartzler (R-MO)
Ted Poe (R-TX)
Patrick McHenry (R-NC)
Alan Nunnelee (R-MS)
Candice Miller (R-MI)
Mark Amodei (R-NV)
Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
Sue Myrick (R-NC)
Todd Akin (R-MO)
Randy Forbes (R-VA)
Paul Gosar (R-AZ)
Diane Black (R-TN)
Jeff Landry (R-LA)
Steve Stivers (R-OH)
Randy Hultgren (R-IL)
Mike Pompeo (R-KS)
David Schweikert (R-AZ)
Bill Posey (R-FL)
Steve Chabot (R-OH)
Quico Canseco (R-TX)
Bill Johnson (R-IL)
Pete Sessions (R-TX)
Tim Griffin (R-AR)
Walter B. Jones (R-NC)
Lynn Jenkins (R-KS)
Billy Long (R-MO)
Steve Scalise (R-LA)
Stephen Fincher (R-TN)
Jack Kingston (R-GA)
Scott Rigell (R-VA)
Tom Price (R-GA)
Robert Hurt (R-VA)
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Please note the lack of Democrat names on the list. Are potentially life-threatening actions used to quash free speech hunky-dory to them? It appears so. With their silence, they are condoning it.
Twitter users are thanking the members of Congress who are standing up against these chilling tactics.
Thank you to @RepSandyAdams, for spearheading 85 members of Congress to urge DoJ to investigate SWATtings of bloggers http://t.co/8piqLGKc
— Mandy Nagy (@Liberty_Chick) June 11, 2012
https://twitter.com/MrEvilMatt/status/212182550003712000
@RepMikePompeo Thanks for encouraging DOJ to investigate the swatting incidents. I also urge you to consider this http://t.co/V9q8YwWD
— Bret (@bschlyer) June 11, 2012
3 Missouri Reps signed the Letter to the DOJ on Swatting, not a bad showing for my state: http://t.co/FtqSvdRX
— tsrblke (@tsrblke) June 11, 2012
We join Twitter users, conservative bloggers and activists in thanking Congresswoman Adams and the other members of Congress who are taking this matter seriously and demanding action.
The House demand for the DoJ to investigate #SWATting, but I fear will fall on the deliberately deaf ears of #Holder. #tcot
— Flynn (@FlynnsTake) June 11, 2012
His ears may remain deaf, but those fighting for freedom will never remain silent. Some are listening. Keep screaming from the rooftops and the Twittersphere. Fight like girls and follow Congresswoman Adams’ lead.
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