Maine State Police mentioned an unknown male known as a regional communication middle Friday night saying that he had damaged into a house within the Augusta space,
in keeping with native station WGME13. Police confirmed the house as Bellows’. Officers discovered the house empty, and an investigation stays ongoing.
At the very least three Republican members of Congress have mentioned they had been the goal of swatting incidents this week: Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), and Rep. Brandon Williams (R-N.Y.). Nobody was harmed within the incidents.
Such episodes have additionally affected quite a few state and native officers each Republican and Democratic, and are available amid growing concern for the safety of politicians and lawmakers in an period of heightened partisanship forward of the 2024 elections.
Bellows on Friday defended her determination to bar Trump from the poll, telling POLITICO that the previous president didn’t meet the constitutional necessities for holding excessive workplace.
Bellows made the decision
to eject Trump on the grounds that he engaged in rebellion for his function within the Jan. 6 assault on the Capitol,
violating the 14th Modification amid a broader effort to overturn the 2020 election consequence.
Trump had beforehand attacked the choice and posted a hyperlink to Bellows’ biographical data on his Fact Social account. He additional adopted a submit with the remark: “Fisherman, Loggers, & Lobsterman, who voted for President Trump overwhelmingly, are livid with this non-Lawyer Sec. of State.”
Whereas the Maine Division of Public Security didn’t launch a motive for the swatting name, Bellows mentioned in an interview with the Related Press that it stemmed from her determination to take away Trump from the poll.
The swatting try got here after her dwelling tackle was posted on social media by a conservative activist, Bellows mentioned. “And it was posted in anger and with violent intent by those that have been extending threatening communications towards me, my household and my workplace,” she added.
Within the quick wake of her determination, Bellows mentioned she felt protected by authorities as Maine’s secretary of state.
Nevertheless, she condemned the swatting and threats in her Saturday submit: “This habits is unacceptable. The continuous threatening communications the individuals who work for me endured all day yesterday is unacceptable. It’s designed to scare not solely me but additionally others into silence, to ship a message.”
