Owner of ‘F*** Kamala’ sign burned in Somerset County, NJ speaks out

🔴 Vulgar anti-Kamala Harris political sign burns

🔴 Democrat assemblyman speculates on who is responsible

🔴 Homeowner says lawmaker is victim-shaming, irresponsible

FRANKLIN (Somerset) — A heated controversy over political signs along a busy road has come to a fiery head.

On Saturday morning, a fire burned two joined signs out front of a home in Franklin along DeMott Lane near Emerson Road.

Fire officials are investigating who started the blaze, Franklin police Lt. Vincent Wilson said.

The fire was first reported around 8:30 a.m. but police did not share any other information. According to a copy of the police report obtained by New Jersey 101.5, the homeowner spent around $500 on the signs and mounting equipment.

Vulgar political sign burns

The flags had been on the home's front lawn for several months, local news outlet The Franklin Reporter & Advocate first reported.

A Google Street View image from July 2024 showed one side of the political sign: "freedom over fear."

The other sign on the reverse side said "F*** Biden." However, the owner of the home Robert Kashinsky said to New Jersey 101.5 that the sign had been updated after President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race.

The new sign said "F*** Kamala and f*** you for voting for her." The letter "u" in the first word was itself a "f*** you" and the letters had been shaped into a middle finger.

The lawn also had another sign supporting Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for president that was not burned.

Assemblyman speculates on who started fire

Police had not announced any suspects related to the investigation into who or what started the fire.

Assemblyman Joe Danielsen, D-Somerset, said to the Franklin Reporter & Advocate that he got a text about the fire and recorded a video as he drove past. A man can be heard laughing in the video posted on Facebook by the FR&A.

"Despite the suspicion that he may have started the fire himself, it is his constitutional right to have whatever sign he wants on his front lawn," said Danielsen about the homeowner.

"But I say his right is his wrong. It's ugly, it's hateful, it's undignified, and it gives a black eye to all of Franklin," said Danielsen.

Danielsen said there were counter-protestors outside the home recently. Kashinsky said the protestors were trespassing on his property and blocking the road.

Danielsen later repeated the speculation that the homeowner "was behind this." He did not say who was speculating this or what, if any, evidence it was based on.

When New Jersey 101.5 asked police about Danielsen's comments, Lt. Wilson said there were "no further details to report."

Homeowner demands apology for accusations

Robert Kashinsky, the homeowner, contacted New Jersey 101.5 and said that Danielsen never checked on the family to see if they were safe.

Kashinsky denied that he or anyone he knew set the fire.

"While the fire was burning, one of our elected Democrat representatives was interviewed in front of our house laughing, smirking, and attacking the victims of this crime before completely baselessly and slanderously accusing us of setting the fire to our own lawn," said Kashinksy.

There was an electrical power source next to the sign that could have started an electrical fire that burned down his home, Kashinsky said. His family was asleep with their four pets when a man driving past the home saw the fire and rang their doorbell.

Kashinsky said he was waiting for an apology from Danielsen and his resignation.

New Jersey 101.5 has contacted the assemblyman for comment.

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