ATLANTA – Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger is calling on the General Assembly to pass legislation increasing penalties for transmitting false alarms amid an outbreak of “swatting” incidents.
False reports of criminal activity that send police to the homes or offices of targeted victims have cropped up across the country in recent weeks. In Georgia, victims have included three Republican state senators, a Democratic state senator, GOP Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, and U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Rome.
The alarming trend struck home in Raffensperger’s office this week when Gabriel Sterling, the secretary of state’s chief operating officer, joined the list of swatting victims.
“It is deeply troubling to see a rise in swatting and other physical threats,” Raffensperger said. “We expect heightened tensions as we head into a major presidential election. (But) we expect American citizens to engage in the democratic process – not resort to cowardly acts of intimidation.”
Raffensperger introduced legislation in 2016 while serving as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives to increase the penalty for transmitting a false public alarm from one year in prison to 10. He is urging lawmakers to reconsider the measure.
State Sen. Clint Dixon, R-Buford, announced last week that he plans to introduce a bill strengthening penalties for false reporting and misuse of police forces.
The General Assembly will convene the 2024 legislative session under the Gold Dome on Monday.