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Mikie Sherrill cheating row: NJ Gov candidate faced shocking insult; Naval Academy details out
New Jersey Governor candidate Mikie Sherrill received a massive blow, likely linked to her cheating scandal.
New Jersey Governor candidate Mikie Sherrill received a massive blow, likely linked to her cheating scandal. The Democrat was reportedly blocked from walking with her graduating class at the US Naval Academy back in 1994 after being caught in controversy, a bombshell report revealed.
The New Jersey Globe cited records to reveal that Sherrill's name was not on the commencement program on May 25, 1994. The congresswoman had reacted to the rumors. The 53-year-old said she was barred because she declined to rat out classmates who were involved in the scandal.
“I didn’t turn in some of my classmates, so I didn’t walk, but graduated and was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy, serving for nearly ten years with the highest level of distinction and honor,” she told the outlet, speaking about the scandal that impacted 130 midshipmen in her class.
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Thursday said that he wants a ‘criminal investigation’ over reports that the National Archives may have violated federal law in the release of Sherrill's records. This comes amid a close contest between the Democratic candidate and Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
CBS News reported that the National Personnel Records Center released Sherrill's full military file almost completely unredacted. The documents were reportedly given to a key Ciattarelli ally, Nicholas De Gregorio. The Republican gubernatorial candidate, however, said that it is ‘completely and totally false’ that the Trump admin released the records to damage Sherrill politically.
"I support a criminal investigation into the unauthorized and illegal release of Mikie Sherrill's records," Jeffries said. "Mikie Sherrill is a patriot and a hero who has served this country, graduated from the Naval Academy, helicopter pilot, tours of duty in dangerous places overseas in the Middle East," he added.
“It's outrageous that Donald Trump and his administration and political hacks connected to them continue to violate the law, and they will be held accountable.”
"We are calling on Jack Ciattarelli and the Trump administration to immediately stop illegally distributing Mikie Sherrill's military files," Sherrill campaign communications director Sean Higgins said in a statement.
