Rep. Mikie Sherrill, the New Jersey gubernatorial candidate, criticized the Trump administration on Thursday for disclosing her military records, which included sensitive personal information, to supporters of her gubernatorial opponent.
“The Trump administration egregiously violated federal law by releasing Mikie Sherrill’s unedited military records to the Ciattarelli campaign,” her team stated. “This leak is not only invasive but also shocking and warrants a thorough investigation.”
Grace McCaffrey, acting director of the National Archives and Records Agency (NARA), confirmed that her military records were mistakenly sent to Nicolas de Gregorio, a Ciattarelli ally, due to an error made by the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC).
According to McCaffrey, de Gregorio requested the documents through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), but those who processed the request failed to adhere to standard procedures.
“Technicians should not have released the entire record, as it was only supposed to provide select information under FOIA,” she explained.
The breach was discovered on Monday, and NARA reached out to Sherrill’s office to address the situation.
CBS News was the first to report that the leak included various sensitive details, such as Sherrill’s Social Security Number and performance ratings, as well as remarks from her and her parents.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries backed the call for an investigation into the leak, expressing his disbelief that the Trump administration continues to flout the law. He also reminded the public about the five-year statute of limitations related to these actions.
The campaign also contacted Ciattarelli’s team for comments regarding the issue.
Recent polls show Sherrill and her opponent, former state legislator Jack Ciattarelli, tied at 43% support as they compete to succeed term-limited Gov. Phil Murphy (D).
Additionally, some Republican officials are revisiting a 1994 scandal surrounding Sherrill’s military records from the Naval Academy, noting that she did not participate in her graduation ceremony, which was related to her classmates’ misconduct.
In response, Sherrill stated, “Ciattarelli continues to exploit my past. I didn’t walk in the ceremony because I refused to condone the actions of some classmates, but I graduated and served honorably in the Navy for nearly a decade.” She further stressed that the mishandling of military records is a violation of trust for those who have served.
Meanwhile, Ciattarelli’s campaign is using the controversy to criticize New Jersey legislators, claiming that Sherrill’s past involvement in a significant fraud scandal tarnishes her reputation. Campaign manager Eric Alpert stated that “New Jersey deserves complete transparency, and it’s absurd that Sherrill is now being punished for her past actions.”
