National Archives records tie Mikie Sherrill to 1994 Naval Academy cheating case as New Jersey governor race heats up

New Jersey’s gubernatorial race intensified Thursday after private military records released by the National Archives drew a link between Democratic candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill and a 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal that also involved her husband, Jason Hedberg. The New York Post reported that Hedberg was among midshipmen who sued the academy, the Navy and the Pentagon to block an honor board from deciding whether they should be dismissed, a lawsuit tied to the case that also affected Sherrill’s narrative about her time at the academy. The disclosure comes as Sherrill tries to close a gap with Republican Jack Ciattarelli in a blue-leaning state economy and politics race.

Sherrill has not been accused of cheating at the Naval Academy. Instead, reporting indicates she was accused of failing to report classmates who cheated on an exam, a distinction that has become central to how the public weighs the revelation. The post also noted Hedberg’s involvement in the broader dispute surrounding the honor process at the academy. The report adds that Hedberg was one of nearly 50 midshipmen who filed suit over the school’s handling of the case and due-process questions, an assertion consistent with the suit’s claims that the plaintiffs were compelled to make inculpatory statements to Navy investigators.

The 1994 commencement records further show that Sherrill did not walk with her graduating class, while Hedberg’s name appeared in the 1994 commencement program, suggesting he was cleared to participate in the ceremony three months after the suit was filed. The discrepancy in who walked and who was listed in the program has become a focal point for Ciattarelli’s campaign, which has pressed Sherrill to release her full military records. In response, Ciattarelli allies have cited FOIA requests as a lawful means to illuminate a candidate’s background. A campaign representative described a request filed by an individual connected to the Ciattarelli effort as legitimate and independent of the campaign itself.

The Ciattarelli campaign has said it obtained and shared information suggesting Sherrill’s records were released in a manner that was not properly redacted. In a letter filed by the campaign, Nicholas De Gregorio asserted that a lawful FOIA request was made and that the National Archives technician who answered provided information that included sensitive data. The National Archives apologized for the breach, saying the technician should not have released the unredacted records and that it would review the process and hold staff accountable for the lapse. Sherrill’s campaign has argued that Ciattarelli and allied operatives exploited the leak to smear Sherrill’s family, and Sherrill herself has cast the disclosure as part of a broader political tactic aimed at discrediting her candidacy.

To defend her record, Sherrill has criticized the campaign’s tactics and framed the matter as an attempt by opponents—tied to the Trump administration, according to her campaign—to weaponize private information for political gain. Her spokesman said the attack reflects a broader pattern of Republican efforts to scrutinize personal histories as part of a broader political strategy. Ciattarelli’s team responded by insisting that releasing records is a matter of public interest and accountability, while warning that mischaracterizations of the process would lead to legal action for defamation if the claims continued to pose as facts.

Sherrill has acknowledged the details surrounding her Naval Academy years in interviews, including statements to The Globe indicating that while she did not walk in the 1994 ceremony, she was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy and served for nearly a decade with what she described as a high level of distinction. The episode has complicated the race in a state where voters have showed a mix of concern about background transparency and a focus on policy, including taxes, schools, and public safety. As the National Archives dispute unfolds, both campaigns have insisted on full transparency while continuing to press their core messages in a contest that remains highly consequential for New Jersey politics.

The records release and ensuing fallout come at a pivotal moment in the governor’s race, highlighting broader national debates over how personal and private information should be used in political campaigns. The National Archives said the breach was a mistake and pledged accountability measures, underscoring the sensitivity of unredacted, private data in political contests. In the meantime, the campaign trail in New Jersey continues to center on leadership, integrity, and who voters trust to manage the state’s challenges.