New Jersey governor race rocked by leaks over military records and 1994 cheating scandal

The New Jersey gubernatorial race intensified Friday after a bombshell report tied the election fight to a long-simmering controversy involving Rep. Mikie Sherrill and a 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal. The report alleged the Naval Academy blocked Sherrill from walking with her graduating class and that a federal agency improperly released much of her private military records to an ally of Republican rival Jack Ciattarelli. The disclosures triggered calls for investigations from top House Democrats as the race remained unusually close in New Jersey, a blue-leaning state that will pick a new governor this fall.

CBS News reported that the National Personnel Records Center, a branch of the National Archives, released Sherrill's military personnel files with improper redactions and included sensitive information such as her Social Security number. The National Archives later apologized, saying the breach stemmed from a government worker's error in processing a routine records request. In the wake of the release, Sherrill's campaign issued cease-and-desist letters to the National Archives and to Ciattarelli's campaign, and pressed for accountability, naming Ciattarelli campaign advisor Chris Russell and an associate described as operating at Russell's direction. The report said the files were disseminated to Nicholas De Gregorio, described by Sherrill aides as an ally of Ciattarelli who helped circulate the material.

The Ciattarelli campaign pressed for full disclosure, with campaign manager Eric Alpert saying the disclosure about Sherrill's disciplinary history was a crucial transparency issue. “What we learned today is that she was part of it in some way, shape or form. Come clean, release the records. Tell us what's in your disciplinary records. I think the people of New Jersey deserve that,” Alpert said in an interview cited by Fox News Digital. Sherrill's team countered that the leak was a political weapon and characterized the handling of the records as an example of federal overreach. In a separate exchange, Sherrill acknowledged a historical episode from 1994: “There was a test at the school that was stolen…I did not realize it was stolen. I took the test,” she said, adding that she did not come forward with that information at the time.

The case has thrust into the spotlight how federal records are handled in politically charged environments. Top House Democrats, including House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries, signaled support for a criminal investigation into the unauthorized release of Sherrill's records. The ranking member of the House Oversight Committee, Rep. Robert Garcia, along with Sherrill's New Jersey colleagues, urged investigators to examine what happened. Republican lawmakers in the House have previously pursued inquiries into similar unredacted military record disclosures affecting GOP members, drawing comparisons to past episodes involving Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska and Rep. Zach Nunn of Iowa.

The controversy comes as the New Jersey race remains one of only two gubernatorial contests this year, the other in Virginia, and is viewed as a key early test of the president's popularity and agenda ahead of next year’s midterms. Sherrill has sought to build support around affordability, promising to declare a state of emergency on day one to freeze rate hikes and to push for transparency and efficiency in state government. Ciattarelli has disputed the narrative that national politics trump state concerns, arguing that issues such as property taxes, crime, energy costs and general governance are the defining factors in the race and that President Trump is not the sole driver of voters’ choices.

The timeline stretches back to the 1994 Naval Academy cheating scandal that sparked congressional attention decades ago and later became a defining element of Sherrill's public profile as she rose to Congress. While Sherrill was not accused of cheating, the disciplinary actions tied to the episode resurfaced as part of this year's campaign narrative, amplified by CBS News' reporting on the National Personnel Records Center and by local outlets noting Sherrill's alleged barring from walking with her class during graduation.

As November approaches, national observers will examine how the candidates handle revelations about records, leaks and the political use of personal histories. The New Jersey race is expected to attract outsized attention as a bellwether for how the public weighs questions of transparency, accountability and the influence of national political dynamics on state elections. The debate over record handling and political leverage in this race may shape how voters assess the two candidates' records and plans for governing a state with ongoing concerns about taxes, public safety and cost of living.

Ciattarelli, who has run for governor twice before and enjoys the president's backing, has framed the race as a referendum on state leadership and fiscal restraint. Sherrill, a former federal prosecutor and Naval Academy graduate, has emphasized cost-of-living relief and government accountability as she seeks to translate her public service background into a governing platform. The next phase of the race could hinge on how voters assess the legitimacy and handling of the disclosures, and whether investigators provide a clear, independent account of who authorized the release and how information was disseminated.