Armed police officers woke Rick Wilson from his sleep in the middle of the night. However, what happened to this American political consultant is merely a result of one of the many pranks that have spread widely in the United States during this charged election year. In recent months, judges and political and election officials from both sides of the American political spectrum have fallen victim to this practice known in English as "swatting," which involves individuals calling law enforcement to report a fabricated violent crime in order to induce police intervention at the target's home.
Rick Wilson, a former Republican strategist and one of the founders of the "Lincoln Project," a coalition of Republicans opposing Donald Trump, said, "It's hard to accept seeing dozens of armed police around the house banging on the door at three in the morning." Wilson had previously experienced such a cruel prank, as he was forced to exit his Florida home with his hands raised. He told the police, "I am a victim of a hoax!"
The consultant has offered a $25,000 reward for any information leading to the identification of the person (or people) who made the call, without having any guesses regarding their identity. He insists that the aim of these individuals is clear: "to cause people to be killed."
With the presidential elections approaching in November, which will likely see a rematch between Joe Biden and Donald Trump, these malicious pranks have revived concerns about conducting voting within a highly polarized political context, under the threat of foreign interference and media misinformation campaigns.
Common Modus Operandi
These concerns are justified, particularly given the unified method of operation in these incidents, raising fears of a coordinated attack against political officials. This method involves someone calling emergency services to "confess" to killing a partner and stating their intention to commit suicide. This is sufficient to prompt security forces to dispatch heavily armed intervention units.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that it has recorded 600 incidents of this kind across the country in 2023. This phenomenon, which currently appears to be "on the rise," emerged in the early 2000s, initially used to harass celebrities or among competitors in gaming.
Recent targets have particularly included Tanya Chutkan, the judge who will preside over the federal hearings in Donald Trump's trial for alleged illegal attempts to overturn the 2020 election results. Also targeted are Prosecutor Jack Smith, overseeing the legal actions against the former president in two cases, Trump-supporting Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, and Gabriel Sterling, the official in charge of elections in Georgia, which is very significant in the presidential race.
Georgia is one of the American states seeking to tighten penalties against those who commit these crimes. Legislators in Florida introduced a bill in January that stipulates up to 20 years in prison if the victim suffers severe injuries during police intervention. This initiative was launched after Florida Republican Senator Rick Scott himself became a victim of such pranks.
However, in reality, it is rare for those responsible for these crimes to be identified and apprehended. According to experts, they use artificial intelligence tools to mimic voices or encryption techniques to obscure any traces of themselves. Justin Smith, a member of the "Secure and Safe Elections Committee," an organization aimed at protecting voters and election officials from threats and pressures, stated that "tracking these individuals is extremely difficult."
Consequently, this retired police officer encourages election officials to inform law enforcement authorities about their residences to mitigate the risks of such pranks.
