National Archives Illegally Release NJ Candidate Sherrill's Military Records, Prompting Privacy Probe

Rep. Mikie Sherrill, a Democratic candidate for New Jersey governor and former Navy helicopter pilot, accused the Trump administration and her Republican opponent Jack Ciattarelli of illegally and dangerously weaponizing the federal government after her unredacted military records were mistakenly released. The National Personnel Records Center, part of the National Archives, erroneously provided Sherrill's full military file, including sensitive personal information such as her Social Security number, family addresses, and performance evaluations, to an ally of Ciattarelli through a Freedom of Information Act request. Sherrill’s campaign condemned the leak as a breach of federal law and called for a thorough investigation, while the National Archives confirmed the error and apologized. The leaked records also revealed Sherrill’s involvement in reporting a 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal, which she was not accused of cheating in but did not initially report. Ciattarelli's camp used the release to allege Sherrill concealed her involvement in the scandal, intensifying the political battle in the tight gubernatorial race. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries condemned the leak as an unlawful attack on a veteran and called for accountability amid the controversy.