Updated March 31, 2026 — Washington
The inspector general at the National Archives and Records Administration determined that the public release of heavily unredacted military records belonging to Rep.-turned-gubernatorial-candidate Mikie Sherrill was the result of human error, not a politically motivated action. The finding closes an inquiry into whether the disclosure was coordinated with political opponents.
Investigators said the Freedom of Information Act request that produced the records had been properly filed. The breakdown happened during processing: an Archives technician released the files in error and failed to follow internal escalation procedures. The IG’s review found no evidence the release was driven by politics.
Sherrill and other Democrats had suggested the timing and recipient of the release pointed to coordination with her Republican opponent and allies of the Trump administration. Sherrill went on to defeat Jack Ciattarelli in the New Jersey governor’s race. The inspector general opened the investigation days after CBS News reported that the Archives had disclosed the records to Nicholas De Gregorio, an associate of Ciattarelli.
The documents that were released included Sherrill’s Social Security number, home addresses for her and her parents, life insurance details, performance evaluations and a nondisclosure agreement tied to classified information. The disclosure raised concerns under the Privacy Act of 1974 and FOIA.
Mark Sheridan, a lawyer for the Ciattarelli campaign, said the IG’s conclusion vindicated the campaign and urged Sherrill to publish records related to a 1994 Naval Academy cheating case. A Sherrill spokesperson criticized the investigation, saying the Trump-era Archives effectively “investigated itself” and calling the conclusion unreliable, while reiterating that sensitive personal information had been released recklessly.
CBS News began reporting on Sherrill last year amid renewed attention to the 1994 Naval Academy episode, in which more than 100 midshipmen were implicated in cheating. Sherrill has said she was not accused of cheating but was disciplined for not reporting classmates; she graduated and served in the Navy.
CBS News obtained the IG report after filing a FOIA request to the Archives. The report echoed CBS’s earlier reporting and stated, “No evidence was developed during the investigation indicating the disclosure was politically motivated.”
According to the IG, the technician handling De Gregorio’s request should have elevated the review to a supervisor because the request involved a member of Congress. The employee, whose name is redacted in the report, acknowledged the error and attributed it to being distracted and not fully focused on the task. Supervisors recommended the technician be removed for neglect of duty on Dec. 16, 2025; the report says the employee retired instead of facing termination.
Following the incident, the Archives instituted new measures aimed at reducing similar errors, including enhanced training and clearer directives for handling sensitive records and FOIA requests.
De Gregorio told CBS News he felt vindicated and said he filed the FOIA request to verify whether Sherrill had been candid about her service, encouraging citizens to use FOIA to hold officials accountable.
The records’ release and subsequent reporting sparked a political uproar last year, with both campaigns trading legal threats and negative advertising. While the IG report ends the probe into motive, it underscores procedural failures at the National Archives that allowed sensitive information to be disclosed.