The National Archives recently issued an apology to Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill after her military records were improperly released due to a request made under fraudulent pretenses. The records, requested by an individual named Nicolas de Gregorio, inadvertently included sensitive information like her Social Security Number.
It turns out De Gregorio is actually Jack Ciattarelli, a candidate running for Governor of New Jersey as a Republican. He mentioned that a GOP consultant, Chris Russell, had asked him to investigate the records of Democrats. However, he clarified that his campaign did not instruct him to access this information.
Scott Levins, the NPRC Director, acknowledged the mishap in a letter to Sherrill, stating, “I sincerely apologize for the fact that this situation could cause you and that we did not protect your military records from unauthorized release.” He described the violation as “very rare” and included an offer for free credit monitoring due to the sensitive nature of the information released.
Sherrill condemned the incident, alleging it exemplifies the “weaponization” of government for political purposes. She described it as a severe violation of trust, stating, “Veteran records are not safe.” President Trump, who supports Ciattarelli, criticized Sherrill in a social media post, mistakenly referring to her as “mic” and labeling her as “incompetent.”
While Ciattarelli previously lost to incumbent Governor Phil Murphy in 2021, his current campaign has sparked discussions about the appropriateness of such information leaks and the broader implications of political tactics in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race.
