NEW JERSEY — The race for governor in the Garden State exploded on Thursday into ugly accusations of dirty tricks and alleged leaks.
As Republican Jack Ciattarelli visited voters in Hunterdon County, the National Archives admitted it had wrongfully released the military records of his opponent, Democrat Mikie Sherrill.
They revealed that the congressmember and war veteran was barred from walking in her 1994 Naval Academy graduation for failing to report classmates who had cheated on exam.
Sherrill herself was never accused of cheating.
“I support a criminal investigation into the unauthorized and illegal release of Mikie Sherrill’s records,” said House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries.
Jeffries blamed the Trump administration for weaponizing the documents to prop up Ciattarelli, who polls show is newly surging in popularity.
It comes as his campaign has relentlessly mocked Sherrill’s performance in a recent TV interview.
“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 and the Middle East,” Jeffries said. “And it is outrageous that Donald Trump and his administration and political hacks connected to them continue to violate the law.”
Jeffries accused the Trump administration of releasing those documents without redacting them and revealing personal information like Sherrill’s social security number and her home address.
Sherrill’s campaign was already trying to velcro Ciattarelli to the president who is deeply unpopular in the blue state.
A Sherrill spokesman called the release of her records “a breathtaking, disturbing leak that must be thoroughly investigated.”
The spokesman added, “once again the Trump administration is targeting political opponents with an absolute disregard for the law, this time in concert with the Ciattarelli campaign.”
RELATED | New poll puts Mikie Sherrill, Jack Ciattarelli tied in race for New Jersey governor
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