Investigation Launched into Release of Military Records
The National Archives’ Deputy Inspector, Will Brown, is beginning an inquiry into how Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s military records were erroneously disclosed to supporters of Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli. This comes after Sherrill alleged that the Trump administration conspired against her campaign last week, though representatives from the National Archives noted that the release was due to an employee error within the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis.
A spokesperson for the National Archives stated, “We’ve initiated an internal investigation to get to the bottom of how standard procedures were overlooked. Currently, there isn’t evidence suggesting the release was intentional.” They emphasized that, while mistakes can occur, they are uncommon given that the NPRC processes over 6,000 requests daily.
Sherrill continues to assert that this situation is not merely a mistake. On Tuesday, House Democrats framed the situation as “an investigation into illegal interference by the Trump administration in New Jersey’s gubernatorial race.”
As the election approaches, Sherrill’s opponent has been criticized, with some calling him “New Jersey’s Kamala Harris.”
In response to the ongoing investigation, Sherrill demanded full cooperation from Ciattarelli to clarify his campaign’s role in what she labeled as illegal activities. Chris Russell, a spokesperson for the Ciattarelli campaign, urged Sherrill to cease sharing records related to disciplinary actions.
Russell remarked, “This displays the desperation of the Sherrill campaign. They’re spreading misinformation about this internal investigation to distract from their own issues.” He further claimed that the unauthorized disclosure of Sherrill’s military records constitutes an assault on all veterans.
More details emerged about the incident when the National Archives admitted that an engineer had inadvertently released Sherrill’s personal information when responding to a June 30 Freedom of Information Act request. The National Archives acknowledged that the engineer should not have disclosed such sensitive details, including her Social Security number.
The agency has extended apologies for the privacy violation and pledged to hold staff responsible for the incident. Sherrill, meanwhile, accused the Trump administration of what she termed the “weaponization” of federal resources.
With just weeks until Election Day, this incident has heightened tension in a contentious race for New Jersey’s governorship, currently held by Phil Murphy, who is ineligible to run again due to term limits.
Recent polling indicates Sherrill is trailing Ciattarelli by eight points among likely voters, though in broader samples, the margins are narrower.
The Democratic Party swiftly condemned the National Archives’ handling of the matter following the news. Abigail Spanberger, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Virginia, described the privacy breach as disgraceful, stating, “It is a shameful act against a courageous member of our military.”
The Democratic National Committee has criticized the Trump administration for the employee error, claiming it reflects a pattern of improperly using governmental power.
