It is not just individuals reporting drones — we are also hearing reports from local law enforcement, reporters on the ground, mayors, and legislators.

Tony Perry, the mayor of Middletown, New Jersey, announced that Naval Weapons Station Earl had an unauthorized “foreign” drone flying “directly over” the base. This is a secured location that can fire on ANY fishing boat that gets within 500 feet of the base. Yet this drone was untouched.

Recently, the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, was forced to close for several hours according to an air traffic controller due to “heavy UAS [unmanned aircraft system] activity.” This Air Force base, which employs 38,000 people, was ground to a halt.

New Jersey State Rep. Brian Bergen drove two hours to attend a legislative briefing. After an hour, he stormed out, describing his frustration with the so-called briefing:

It was worthless. It was the biggest amateur hour presentation I have ever seen about anything. OK. It was ridiculous. There were no answers. ... They don’t know where the drones are coming from. They don’t know who’s doing it. They don’t know why they are doing it. ... Why would you call a meeting to tell people you don’t know anything?

The federal government is showing a remarkable lack of curiosity that is mirrored only by their lack of information about these drones.

Urge Congress to take swift action to demand answers, come up with a plan of action, and protect the people. 

Rep. Bergen continued after the briefing:

Here’s the most frustrating point. Colonel of the State Police said he had a helicopter of his flying over, above one of these drones ... and he just “felt unsafe for his helicopter,” so he just let it go. Just let it go. Where did it go? Who knows? He didn’t want to follow it because he didn’t feel safe. 

A law enforcement officer in a police helicopter said he felt threatened by this drone, so he fell back and stopped tracking it.

However, the DHS, FBI, FAA, and DOD issued a “Joint Statement” this week. It said, essentially, Move along. Nothing to see here. It stated that what people are reporting was “a combination of lawful commercial drones, hobbyist drones, and law enforcement drones, as well as manned fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and stars mistakenly reported as drones. We have not identified anything anomalous.”

This is maddening and irresponsible. Stars and hobbyist drones don’t scare the police. And private drones can be tracked by the FAA. If a private drone flew over a restricted area, it would be prohibited by the controller, and even if it wasn’t prohibited, the FAA can trace the drone number to the owner.

The U.S. House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence and the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security held a joint hearing in which Robert W. Wheeler Jr., assistant director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Critical Incident Response Group, said, “We do not attribute that [the UAS] to an individual or a group yet. We’re investigating, but I don’t have an answer of who’s responsible for that.”

I'm not sure what is more chilling: that the government may be lying and claiming it does not know what is happening when it does — or that it might actually be telling the truth.

Either option is a threat to national security. This cannot be ignored!

When NJ Rep. Bergen was asked if the state police knew the origin of the drones, he responded: “No they don’t.”

In Ukraine, weaponized drones are being used, up to 40 per day to hunt and kill people in the Kherson region. People say they are “being stalked by Russian drones, which drop lethal grenades and mines on their community.” It is being called a “human safari.”

We must take these drones seriously. Our enemies are watching. And the way we have responded is a joke. Even if today’s UAS are nothing but an elaborate prank, they reveal a massive problem with protecting our air space.

Cathy Lanier, chief security officer for the National Football League (NFL), warned that “our national security and intelligence agencies continue to warn that terrorist groups and other bad non-state actors consider stadiums and other mass gatherings attractive targets for attack.”

Demand transparency and action from Congress to end this drone controversy.

On Capitol Hill, our staff has been working on this issue and fighting many other threats to freedom. We are also working with many state legislators on a variety of legislative initiatives.

We value your prayers and partnership.

Mat Staver, Chairman
John Stemberger, President
Liberty Counsel Action

TAKE ACTION

Send faxes demanding Congress investigate and take immediate action to protect our airspace.

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Sources:

@RichMcHugh. “Middletown, NJ Mayor @TonyPerryNJ on the threat of drones.”

X.com, December 12, 2024. X.com/RichMcHugh/status/1867285081699782908.

@RichMcHugh. “Watch: NJ State Rep Brian Bergen walked OUT.” X.com, December 11, 2024. X.com/RichMcHugh/status/1866902818579235044.

‌Goffinet, Jared. “More Drones Spotted around Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.” Fox19 NOW, December 17, 2024. Fox19.com/2024/12/17/more-drones-spotted-around-wright-patterson-air-force-base/.

Hewitt, Grace, and Alex Pearson. “Wright-Patterson Surpasses 38K Personnel on Base.” WDTN, August 12, 2024. Wdtn.com/as-seen-on-2-news/wright-patterson-surpasses-38k-personnel-on-base/.

Khotsyanivska, Alla, and Will Tizard. “Russian Attack Drones Hunt Down Individual Civilians in Ukraine.” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty’s Ukrainian Service, December 17, 2024. Rferl.org/a/ukraine-drone-russia-civilian-stalking-individual-kherson-mine-sapper/33243034.html.

“‘Unexplained Sighting’: DOJ, FBI, CBP Witnesses Testify on Ongoing Threats Posed by Drones, Discuss Current Counter-Drone Authorities.” Committee on Homeland Security, December 12, 2024. Homeland.house.gov/2024/12/12/unexplained-sighting-doj-fbi-cbp-witnesses-testify-on-ongoing-threats-posed-by-drones-discuss-current-counter-drone-authorities/.