Mike Deak

@MikeDeakMyCJ

UNION (Union) - Though his father is in the security business, Peter Jacob, the Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional District, never thought of installing surveillance cameras at his house.



Until Monday.



For the second time in four days, Jacob's home in a quiet suburban neighborhood was vandalized Sunday night. Two swastikas were sprayed on a back wall of the house he shares with his parents, and lawn signs promoting his candidacy were sprayed with paint.



On Friday, a swastika was painted on the sidewalk in front of his house.



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"It's definitely worrying and upsetting," Jacob said Monday afternoon, saying he and his parents were taking the "appropriate steps" by installing surveillance cameras.



Jacob and his parents, who immigrated here from India, have lived in the house for six years and nothing like this has happened before, he said.



"We've never had any problems," he said. "The neighbors have my signs on their lawns."



Jacob's father, who ran a video store before he went into the security business, went outside at midnight Sunday night and nothing was wrong.



But a little before 8 a.m. Monday, a passing neighbor saw that the signs on Jacob's lawn had been sprayed with neon orange paint. The neighbor notified the Jacob family, who called the Union Township police.



After checking the signs, police went to the back of the house to see if there was any other vandalism and found the swastikas and an unidentified tag painted in neon orange on a wall under the deck.



Paint was also found on a doorknob, leading Jacob to believe that an attempt was made to get into the house.



On Friday morning, a neighbor walking past the house discovered a swastika painted on the sidewalk. The swastika could not be removed with soap and water, Jacob said, so the neighbor had to go to a store and buy chemicals to erase the image.



Township police told Jacob, who has never before run for public office, that patrols will be stepped up in the area and officers would keep an eye on the house. Police are asking anyone who has information about the incidents to call the department at 908-851-5000.



Jacob said he realizes that damaging lawn signs is part of politics, but painting swastikas is a "whole new thing."​



Jacob is battling four-term GOP incumbent Leonard Lance to represent the 7th District, which stretches across New Jersey's "wealth belt" from Union to Phillipsburg.



On Monday afternoon, the Lance campaign released a statement about the vandalism at Jacob's home: "The display of anti-Semitic hate symbols like the swastika is abhorrent. Leonard Lance stands with Peter Jacob in condemning these offensive acts of vandalism and supports a full police investigation into these crimes."



The campaign also said that Lance has requested to attend a Tuesday morning press conference at Jacob's home and to personally visit with Jacob.



Michael Kane, the communications manager for the Jacob campaign, said that Lance will not be invited to the press conference "due to his support of Donald Trump."



John Malone, Lance's campaign manager, was disappointed by the Jacob's refusal to invite Lance to the press conference.

"Leonard would have said to Peter that he would take out soap and water and brush and cloth to help remove the ugly symbols of hate from the Jacob property," Malone said.



Malone said that the social media "attacks" by Jacob's supporters are new to elections in the district.



"While we continue to stand with Peter Jacob against racism in any form, we strongly reject his campaign's continued false attacks against Leonard Lance and his supporters," Malone said. "These outrageous attacks from the Jacob campaign are patently false."

Appearing at the press conference will be Union County Freeholder President Bruce Bergen, Freeholder Mohamed S. Jalloh, Union County Sheriff Joe Cryan, Rabbi Mark Mallach of Temple Beth Ahm Yisrael, along with local law-enforcement officials and community leaders.



Jacob does not know why he was targeted for the vandalism.



"It's un-American, it's unacceptable," he said.



Jacob said he believes the struggle for civil rights is continuing and the divisive tone of this year's presidential camp may be resulting in "trickle-down hatred."



"He (Trump) is telling America to hate again," Jacob said.



Staff Writer Mike Deak: 908-243-6607; mdeak@mycentraljersey.com