calls about non-existent hostage situations or active shooter situations. the calls are designed to provoke an armed police response to a target's home. nbc news reporting as of tonight that this includes a swatting on christmas day of special counsel jack smith, who's prosecuting the federal january 6th case against donald trump. the judge who is hearing that case was also swatted at her own washington area home just last night. welcome to the kind of election year we're apparently going to have this year. why are we having this epidemic? what does it mean? what can be done about it? joining us now is former justice department senior national security official mary mccord. ms. mccord, i'm very glad you could be with us on this topic tonight. >> it's my pleasure. >> what do you make of the pervasiveness of these threats right now, how disruptive, how dangerous they might be.