Jeffries Calls for Probe Into Trump Admin’s Release of NJ Democrat’s Military Records

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Thursday that he would support a criminal investigation into the National Archives for its “unauthorized and illegal” release of Rep. Mikie Sherrill’s military records to her opponent in the New Jersey governor’s race.

“It’s outrageous that Donald Trump and his administration and political hacks connected to them continue to violate the law,” Jeffries told reporters Thursday.

The military records were released to Nicholas De Gregorio, an ally of Jack Ciattarelli, Sherrill’s Republican opponent in the governor’s race. Gathering opposition research is a common tactic during campaigns — but due to their sensitive nature, military records are typically not released until 62 years after a soldier’s service has ended.

Sherrill’s records, which were also obtained by CBS News, appear to show that the National Personnel Records Center, a wing of the National Archives and Records Administration, released Sherrill’s full military file with few redactions.

The documents included her Social Security number, the home addresses of her and her parents and life insurance information.

Rep. Mikie Sherrill speaks at a “Get Out the Vote” rally earlier this summer. Heather Khalifa/AP

Ciattarelli’s campaign began looking into Sherrill’s time at the Naval Academy early in the campaign, seeking information about whether she was involved in a cheating scandal that roiled her graduating class. Representatives for Ciattarelli’s campaign at the time cited Sherrill’s lack of attendance in her Naval Academy graduation photo.

Sherrill said in a statement to CBS that she did not cheat on any exams but failed to turn in her classmates, which saw her barred from walking at graduation.

“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,” Sherrill said.

“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,” she continued. “No veterans’ record is safe.”

When asked by CBS, the NPRC admitted that a technician did not follow standard procedure in releasing the documents.

“The technician should NOT have released the entire record,” Grace McCaffrey of NARA, told the network in an email.

Sean Higgins, Sherrill’s campaign communications director, said in a press release Thursday that the candidate is exploring legal action.

“This is a breathtaking, disturbing leak that must be thoroughly investigated,” Higgins said in the release. “We are calling on Jack Ciattarelli and the Trump administration to immediately stop illegally distributing Mikie Sherrill’s military files, with protected personal information, like her Social Security number, and we will explore appropriate legal action.”

Sherrill was notified of the records release containing sensitive information in a Sunday letter from NPRC that acknowledged the release of her “comprehensive record, including personal information such as your social security number and date of birth.”

“While breaches of this type do occur, they are exceedingly rare,” the letter, signed by NPRC Director Scott Levins, continues. “I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and aggravation this situation may cause you and for our failure to safeguard your military record from unauthorized release.”

House and state-level Democrats were quick to echo calls by Jeffries and Sherrill for an investigation, issuing a group statement signed by every Democrat in the New Jersey House and Senate.

“This unprecedented act is a serious violation of privacy – from putting her Social Security number on nearly every page to disclosing sensitive personal information about her family – and a blatant breach of clear protocols for handling sensitive documents,” the statement reads.

Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee, called the release of Sherrill’s records a “scandal.”

“Trump’s illegally releasing veterans’ personal records from government files for partisan reasons,” Raskin posted to X. “This is a total outrage and a scandal.”

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said the inappropriate release of Sherrill’s military records is “yet another example of Donald Trump and the Republicans illegally weaponizing the federal government for political purposes.”

“This is a shameful scandal that shows how little Donald Trump and Jack Ciattarelli think of the American military, and there should be a criminal investigation into this leak and the Ciattarelli campaign,” Martin said in a release.

Ciattarelli has not addressed the sensitive material released, but in multiple X posts on Thursday interpreted Sherrill’s explanation for not appearing in her graduation photo as acknowledgement of wrongdoing.

“Today’s admission by Congresswoman Sherrill that she was implicated in, and punished for, her involvement in the largest cheating and honor code scandal in the history of the United States Navy is both stunning and deeply disturbing,” he posted.

Right-wing influencer Meghan McCain, whose post was shared by Ciattarelli, agreed that the acknowledgement to breaking the honor code is “an absolutely enormous deal.”

“Anyone who knows anything about The Naval Academy knows that anything at that level breaking the honor code or involving cheating is an absolutely enormous deal,” McCain posted.