Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said a woman died in a car crash with a bomb squad heading to her house in Georgia after she received a bomb threat.
The lawmaker said she was "heartsick" after learning the news and highlighted that "these violent political threats have fatal consequences." "My prayers are with Tammie Pickelsimer, her family, the officer who was injured, and the entire Rome Police Department," Greene added in a publication on X.
She went on to accuse the person who made the call of "murder" and reiterated that "police shouldn't have to respond to these threats." "There should not be deaths caused at their hands. I'm so thankful for everything the Rome Police Department does to protect our city and for putting their lives on the line to do it. I'm sick to my stomach, but I'm also angry. This should have never happened and I pray it never happens again," she added.
The threat against her took place on Monday. Before learning about the fatality, Greene published a video of the bomb squad sweeping the area outside her house searching for a bomb. An anonymous email claimed a bomb had been hidden inside her mailbox and was set to go off over the weekend or should anyone open it.
"Even if Marjorie does not open the mailbox herself I'm still satisfied with the prospect of some pig cops losing their lives or being injured. VIVA VIVA PALESTINA," concludes the email.
The Floyd County Bomb Squad ruled out immediate danger and turned the investigation over to the FBI, which confirmed it was assisting with it. "The FBI remains vigilant and continues to work closely with our state and local partners to mitigate threats to the public, including threats to specific persons," the bureau said in a statement.
It is the latest of several such threats targeting lawmakers from both parties over the past weeks. Other people targeted include Reps. Lori Trahan and Seth Moulton, of Massachusetts, and Connecticut Democrats Jim Himes, Jahana Hayes, Joe Courtney, John Larson and Rosa DeLauro on Thanksgiving day. Seth Magazine of Rhode Island was also among those who received a threat.
The threats followed with similar incidents targeting some of President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees and appointees earlier in the week, including CIA director nominee John Ratcliffe, defense secretary nominee Pete Hegseth, and U.N. ambassador nominee Rep. Elise Stefanik.
Andrew McCabe, a former FBI deputy director, was asked about the developments and told CNN that he was not surprised by the threats:
"This has become a very, very common aspect of life for really anyone who is in a high profile or even a remotely controversial position. It's been going on for years. They probably know – 90% sure – that these threats that come in are worthless and there's nothing to them, but they can't take the risk of not responding on the off-chance that one real threat gets through"
The FBI addressed the recent incidents, describing them as part of a growing trend of "swatting", a criminal hoax that involves falsely reporting a crime, such as a mass shooting or bomb threat, with the intention of getting police to arrive at a certain location.
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