Sherrill’s Naval Academy Past Resurfaces Amid Gubernatorial Race

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. — New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli joined Fox News’ Hannity program to discuss revelations about his opponent, Rep. Mikie Sherrill. Reports indicate that Sherrill was barred from attending her Naval Academy graduation in 1994 due to an academic cheating scandal.

The scandal rocked the U.S. Naval Academy and involved numerous midshipmen, including Sherrill’s husband, Jason Hedberg. Recent documents from the National Archives showed that Sherrill’s name was absent from the commencement program because of her failure to report academic dishonesty.

While Sherrill has not faced accusations of directly cheating, she is alleged to have failed to disclose information on classmates who did. Her husband was one of about 50 midshipmen who filed a lawsuit against the Naval Academy, Navy, and Pentagon in an effort to prevent the Honor Board from deciding their fates.

The lawsuit claimed that the midshipmen were denied due process and coerced into making statements to investigators. Authorities later determined that Sherrill did not walk in her graduation ceremony, while Hedberg’s name appeared in the program.

Sherrill’s campaign has called the attacks from Ciattarelli and the Republican Party a sign of desperation. Campaign spokesperson Sean Higgins stated, “The illegal disclosure of Mikie’s unredacted personal military records is a disgrace and must be investigated.” Sherrill accused Ciattarelli of manipulating her military records for political gain.

The Ciattarelli campaign contended that the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request submitted about Sherrill’s military background was legally conducted. However, a spokesperson for the National Archives admitted that a technician inappropriately released sensitive information, including her Social Security number, and vowed to take action against the employee.

Sherrill stated, “To have a guy I’m running against who will illegally obtain records, it’s just beyond the pale,” during an event in Plainfield, New Jersey. She remains adamant that her military service was honorable despite the scandal.

As the election approaches, Ciattarelli is pushing Sherrill to make her disciplinary records public, further complicating the already tight race for governor. Recent polls indicate the contest is exceptionally close.