Hack during NJ election Zoom was ‘vile and shocking’: Officials

NEW JERSEY (PIX11) – A Zoom meeting related to New Jersey elections was hacked Thursday morning, officials said.

The hack happened during a 10 a.m. meeting of the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission with around 70 attendees present. At least 15 minutes into the Zoom, attendees could see a photo of a naked man and hear offensive language. 

Executive Director Amanda Haines called the attack "vile and shocking." The commission oversees the campaign financing of all state elections. New Jersey is currently preparing for a gubernatorial election in November.

“This was not simply an attack against ELEC, it was an attack against democracy and the people of New Jersey,” Haines said.

In a post to LinkedIn, Chairman Thomas Prol said the state’s governor and attorney general have opened an investigation. 

“On behalf of my fellow commissioners and myself, I say this to those responsible: You will not disrupt democracy in New Jersey. We will find and prosecute you,” Prol said. 

The meeting has been rescheduled, he said. The attorney general's cyber security team will oversee the rescheduled meeting, Prol told PIX11 News.