Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he and his children were subjected to an anonymous false report to Child Protective Services that led to police involvement at his home. Buttigieg describes the incident as a “swatting” attack and says it was politically motivated, alleging the report falsely claimed he posed a danger to his four-year-old twin children. Multiple outlets report that law enforcement officers and Child Protective Services initially acted on the allegation, resulting in Buttigieg being separated from his kids for a limited period.
CBS News and other coverage cite statements from Michigan State Police indicating the investigation determined the CPS report was unsubstantiated and false. Several outlets also report that Buttigieg said his separation lasted overnight or approximately 24 hours, after which he was reunited with his children.
Buttigieg has also said he and his husband were affected by the incident and has used the experience to argue that systems for responding to such tips need to change. The accounts generally agree on the sequence: an anonymous tip is made, authorities respond, the report is later confirmed to be false, and Buttigieg says his family experience was brief but distressing.
