Investigation launched into how Republican New Jersey governor hopeful got Democratic opponent's military records

Source: The Independent

Wednesday 01 October 2025 19:21 BST


The inspector general of the National Archives and Records Administration has launched an investigation into how military records containing private information about New Jersey’s Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill fell into the hands of her Republican opponent.

Last month, in the midst of a tense battle for the governor’s seat in New Jersey, Republican candidate Jack Ciatarelli obtained unredacted documents about Sherrill, which included her Social Security number, her parents’ address, life insurance information, and more.

Ciatarelli’s campaign had reportedly been looking into whether or not Sherrill was implicated in a 1994 cheating scandal at the Naval Academy. A campaign ally told CBS News that he submitted a Freedom of Information Act request for Sherrill’s military records, received 85 undredacted pages, and then handed them over the Ciatarelli’s campaign.

Officials in NARA told news outlets that the large file was released in “error” by a staffer and that they had contacted Sherrill’s office to apologize. A spokesperson for NARA echoed that statement to the New York Times, saying it was “a really egregious error” that can “unfortunately” happen.

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/mikie-sherrill-new-jersey-governor-race-b2837456.html