(Luis Cornelio, Headline USA) Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows claimed her home fell victim to a swatting incident on Saturday night, adding her name to a growing list of U.S. politicians who’ve faced false police reports since Christmas.
In a lengthy Facebook post, Bellows claimed that her home address was leaked online following her unilateral decision to oust former President Donald Trump from the state’s Republican primary ballot, citing alleged involvement in what Democrats describe as an “insurrection” on Jan. 6.
Bellows said she was not home when the fake police report occurred. However, she raised the alarm about growing threats directed toward her and her staff.
“We were not home yesterday when threats escalated, and our home address was posted online,” she alleged. “It was a good thing because our home was swatted last night. That’s when someone calls in a fake emergency to evoke a strong law enforcement response to scare the target. Swatting incidents have resulted in casualties although thankfully this one did not.”
Bellows decried the alleged swatting as “unacceptable.” Swatting happens when someone falsely reports or threatens a serious crime at a fake address, leading to a strong police response.
“The non-stop threatening communications the people who work for me endured all day yesterday is unacceptable,” Bellows added.
“It’s designed to scare not only me but also others into silence, to send a message. I am so grateful to have such an amazing team of employees at the Department of Secretary of State,” she continued.
Local media reported on Saturday that the Maine State Police is investigating the fake emergency call. Reports indicate that a man called emergency services claiming to have broken into a residence, later identified as Bellows’s home.
The swatting incident occurred within a week of several U.S. politicians, including Democrats and Republicans, experiencing similar incidents during the Christmas holiday.
Among those affected were Boston Mayor Michelle Wu, Sen. Rick Scott, multiple Georgia state legislators, an Ohio lawmaker, a former Nebraska legislator, and Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Brandon Williams.
Bellows’s incident followed her controversial decision to ban Trump, the leading Republican nominee for president, from appearing on the state’s Republican primary ballot.
Bellows cited Maine law and the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to justify Trump’s disqualification from holding elected office over the Jan. 6 protest.
Notably, Trump has neither been charged nor convicted of such an offense, leaving many legal experts baffled at the decision.
Democrat Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows on her decision to unilaterally disqualify former President Trump from the state’s ballot: “My political affiliation, my personal views … had no bearing on my decision” 🤡 pic.twitter.com/thsZvAtHYv
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 30, 2023
