Congressional candidate Rep. Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ) was prevented from walking with her graduating class at the U.S. Naval Academy following a large-scale cheating scandal, according to newly obtained records.
Sherrill’s name does not appear in the commencement program for the May 25, 1994, graduation ceremony, records reviewed by the New Jersey Globe show.
The congresswoman said she was barred from walking because she declined to report classmates involved in the scandal, which affected more than 130 midshipmen in her class.
“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,” Sherrill told the outlet.
Sherrill has not authorized the release of sealed disciplinary records that would provide further details on the decision to prevent her from participating in the graduation ceremony.
The revelations emerged just hours after a poll showed Sherrill in a statistical tie with Republican challenger Jack Ciattarelli, signaling a shift in the race after months of polling that had shown her as the clear front-runner.
The New York Post highlighted that the Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey put both Sherrill and Ciattarelli at 43 percent apiece, marking the first mainstream poll where Sherrill does not hold a significant advantage.
Previous polling consistently showed the Democrat ahead by nearly double-digit margins.
Analysts note that Ciattarelli’s support may have been historically underestimated, as was seen in the 2021 New Jersey governor’s race.
The Post noted that Sherrill served as a Navy helicopter pilot, and her military career has been a central focus of her political campaigns.
She frequently highlights her service record to emphasize leadership experience and public service credentials.
The outlet added that rumors surfaced during her 2018 bid for New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District seat suggesting she may have been involved in the Naval Academy cheating controversy, but solid proof had not been publicly documented until now.
The U.S. Naval Academy cheating scandal received national media coverage in the early 1990s.
In 1992, multiple midshipmen accessed and circulated answers to an electrical engineering exam.
Approximately two dozen midshipmen were expelled as a result of the scandal.
Some classmates reported that nearly 60 percent of midshipmen had viewed the exam questions before taking the test, according to CBS News.
The cheating controversy prompted a congressional inquiry and ultimately led to the resignation of Rear Adm.
Thomas Lynch, who was serving as superintendent of the Naval Academy at the time.
Despite being barred from walking at graduation, Sherrill is pictured in the Naval Academy’s 1994 yearbook, which has fueled interest in her class standing and participation.
The disclosures about her graduation restrictions follow the release of her military records by the National Archives and Records Administration to Nicholas De Gregorio, an ally of Ciattarelli.
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.”
The documents reportedly included sensitive personal information, including Sherrill’s Social Security number, CBS News first reported.
A National Archives spokesperson confirmed the release of the full records was improper, stating, “The technician should NOT have released the entire record.”
A review of the incident is ongoing.
The Post reported that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) called for a criminal investigation, stating, “Mikie Sherrill is a patriot and a hero who has served this country.”
“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.”
