The National Archives released too much of Mikie Sherrill’s Navy record to an ally of Jack Ciattarelli
The full record release could be a violation of the Privacy Act of 1974 and as well as what would be exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, according to CBS.
The entire U.S. Navy record of New Jersey Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Rep. Mikie Sherrill was released to an ally of her opponent, former Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli, according to CBS News.
The National Personnel Records Center at the National Archives in Washington released a mostly unredacted version of Sherrill’s records to Nicholas De Gregorio, which could be a violation of the Privacy Act of 1974 and as well as what would be exempt under the Freedom of Information Act, according to CBS.
The file, which CBS News also obtained, included Sherrill’s Social Security number, home addresses for her and her parents, life insurance information, Sherrill’s performance evaluations and the nondisclosure agreement between her and the U.S. government to safeguard classified information.
CBS News reported that Sherrill herself had requested access to the files in August 2017, just months before she entered her first race for Congress. The Montclair Democrat has represented New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District since first winning the seat in 2018.
In a statement to CBS News, the NPRC said the technician that released the files did not follow standard operating procedures for releasing records.
De Gregorio, who lost the Republican District 5 congressional primary to Frank Pallotta in 2022, received the records in June but the National Archives only became aware of the breach earlier this week, CBS News reported.
CBS News reported that Sherrill’s campaign was told about the breach earlier this week.
CBS News uncovered the fact that the unredacted documents were released when investigating whether or not Sherrill was involved in a cheating scandal during her time at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in the early 1990s.
» READ MORE: Jack Ciattarelli scheduled to be a ‘distinguished guest’ alongside anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist
While she does not appear in the commencement program with the rest of her graduating class, Sherrill was commissioned in May of 1994, according to a copy of her service record provided by the Navy Personnel Command Public Affairs Office.
She was one of 737 Naval Academy graduates appointed to be “permanent ensigns in the line or staff corps of the U.S. Navy” by the U.S. Senate on May 24, 1994.
Sherrill said in a statement to CBS that during her time as an undergraduate she “turn in some of my classmates” which is why she didn’t walk but still graduated and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy. She went on to say “that Jack Ciattarelli and the Trump administration are illegally weaponizing my records for political gain is a violation of anyone who has ever served our country. No veteran’s record is safe.”
Sherrill’s campaign communications director, Sean Higgins, said the “Trump administration blatantly violated federal law by releasing Mikie Sherrill’s unredacted personal military records to an agent of the Ciattarelli campaign — which were then distributed and weaponized by Jack Ciattarelli.”
“This is a breathtaking, disturbing leak that must be thoroughly investigated. Once again, the Trump administration is targeting political opponents with an absolute disregard for the law, this time in concert with the Ciattarelli campaign,” Higgins said. “This disrespects the service of all military veterans, jeopardizes the safety of their records and shows that Jack Ciattarelli will say or do anything to get elected, no matter the dishonor he brings upon himself — and that should frighten everyone.”
Ciattarelli said in response that her admission that she was “implicated in and punished for” her involvement is “both stunning and deeply disturbing.”
News of Sherrill’s personnel file’s release to a Ciattarelli came hours after an Emerson College poll found the New Jersey governor’s race to be in a dead heat.