BETHLEHEM, Pa. — A southeastern Pennsylvania GOP official says he was targeted in a disturbing act of intimidation after crossing party lines to endorse Democrat Kamala Harris for president.
In a weekend tweet including video, Matthew McCaffery of the Montgomery County Republican Party says he was “swatted” by an unidentified perpetrator.
“Last night, my family was swatted in what Upper Merion Police are classifying as a politically motivated crime,” McCaffery wrote.
The practice of “swatting” essentially is a prank call made to emergency dispatchers in hopes that police will be sent to a specific location. Swatting calls are often made with the goal of intimidating particular individuals.
McCaffery’s video — presumably taken from a home-security camera on his porch — shows him exiting his home with hands above his head before an armed officer pats him down.
“This happened after I appeared on @CNN, where I discussed my decision not to support Donald Trump,” McCaffery’s post continued.
McCaffery was a guest on CNN Friday to discuss his reasons for opposing the Republican nominee.
He told the network his stance would cause him to be ousted from his position within the county GOP Monday evening.
“As long as Trump is on the top of the ticket, we’re just gonna keep losing,” he said.
Neither McCaffery nor the Montgomery County Republican Party has released any statements about the hearing.
But as of Tuesday, the Upper Merion seat was listed as “vacant” on the committee’s website.
During his CNN appearance, McCaffery — a veteran who voted for Trump in 2016 — said he joined the local GOP in 2022 to “turn the tide” because of his issues with Trump’s character.
McCaffery authored a Philadelphia Inquirer column to this effect over the summer, arguing the former prez had disrespected the military and posed a threat to democracy.
