An Upper Merion GOP leader got swatted for endorsing Kamala Harris. He could lose his position in the party

From Delco to Chesco and Montco to Bucks, what about life in Philly’s suburbs do you want WHYY News to cover? Let us know!

The Montgomery County Republican Committee held a private disciplinary meeting Monday evening with Upper Merion GOP leader Matthew McCaffery.

His charge? Endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 general election and speaking out against former President Donald Trump.

“Once we start living in fear for words, that is a slippery slope,” said McCaffery, who expects a swift decision regarding his status within municipal party leadership. “It shouldn’t be condoned at any level.”

Christian Nascimento, Montco GOP chairman, told WHYY News the party bylaws are clear.

“If you want to be a Republican committee person, one of the few things that you have to do is support Republicans up and down the ticket. It’s pretty straightforward, and so disciplinary action happens when one member brings charges against another member for a violation of the bylaws,” Nascimento said.

He said McCaffery’s July op-ed in the Inquirer about “proudly voting for a Democrat” prompted another member to bring charges against him. The county committee is weighing a number of options, including removing McCaffery from his post. A decision is expected Tuesday.

“I kind of don’t care what people do personally or how they vote. I want them to vote for all the Republicans obviously, but there’s between who you want to vote for and then being a committee person and actively supporting someone that’s not on the Republican ticket,” Nascimento said.

The swatting incident at the McCaffery home

McCaffery’s potential expulsion comes just days after he was targeted in an apparent swatting incident. On Friday, he appeared on CNN for an interview to discuss his opposition to Trump. Shortly after the segment aired, angry viewers bombarded McCaffery’s Facebook with colorful messages, calling him a “traitor.”

Later that evening, Upper Merion police officers arrived at his home with their weapons drawn.

Someone anonymously reported a fake incident to the police in order to swarm his house with officers. Police searched McCaffery’s home. Once police realized it was a hoax, the situation cooled down. McCaffery posted security camera footage of the incident to X.

His family was shaken up. However, McCaffery, who has been involved with the Republicans Against Trump movement for quite some time, is not backing down.

“If I wasn’t already doubled down with my convictions now — I’m like tripled and quadrupled down. I’m not going to quit,” McCaffery, a Marine veteran, said.

Nascimento said McCaffery sent him the details of the incident.

“I’m horrified if any home is swatted,” Nascimento said. “Whether it’s a Republican, a Democrat and independent or anybody, I don’t think there’s any place for that type of behavior or that type of action. I think it’s pretty disgusting, and so, the police will get to the bottom of that, I hope, and whoever did that will face consequences.”

Republicans lost their edge in Montgomery County more than a decade ago. McCaffery, who is married to a Democrat, said Trump has accelerated those losses with his vitriol and rhetoric.

He said he doesn’t believe in blindly following the leader. When he won a spot on the Upper Merion Republican Committee in 2022, McCaffery said he wasn’t doing it more to honor his community than his party.

“My motivation, my entire motivation, was to move the party, at least in my area, away from the chaotic Trump year,” McCaffery said.

He said he wanted to bridge the gap between the political parties and that he has the support of his family, friends and neighbors — especially after the incident.

“I’m very grateful for the Upper Merion Police Department [and their] professionalism. I’m really appreciative of our Township supervisors that reached out to me and wished me well. Matter of fact, all of them did. I thought that was extremely nice and I feel that the community from both sides rallied behind me and my family and I am very grateful for that,” McCaffery said.