The Facts on Mikie Sherrill’s Navy Academy Records
One issue, two different views.
Last week, the release of some of Mikie Sherrill’s Navy Academy records reverberated across the New Jersey political spectrum.
The records release by the National Archives was in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by a Jack Ciattarelli supporter.
There is nothing unusual about such requests. In fact, they are common during campaigns.
The problem here was that the Archives released “unredacted” records that included Sherrill’s Social Security number and other personnel information.
Talk about a blunder, The Archives, in fact, sent Sherrill a letter of apology.
The records showed that Sherrill graduated from the Academy in 1994, but that she did not participate in the actual commencement exercises.
That’s because she did not report students suspected of cheating. The issue at the time was a stolen exam.
Those were the facts. Now, here’s the partisan reaction, or, if you will, spin.
Democrats immediately called for an investigation into the release of Sherrill’s unredacted records.
And in a campaign statement, Sherrill blamed the Trump Administration.
In short, Democrats said this is another sign of the president using the official arm of government to go after political opponents.
Republicans had another take.
The Ciattarelli campaign zeroed in on Sherrill’s alleged refusal to turn in suspected cheaters.
The GOP candidate concluded that Sherrill was “punished” for her involvement in a cheating scandal.
So there you have it.
Democrats are concentrating on the improper release of records.
Republicans on what some of the records said.
The polarization is not going away. In fact, it is getting wider.
Soon after the release of records, the Sherrill campaign used that mistake as a fundraising tactic. In other words, backing Sherrill was a way to not only elect her governor, but to stand up to the Trump Administration.
More recently, two Republican congressmen, Thomas H. Kean Jr. and Chris Smith, called on Sherrill to release all of her military records.
The next – and final – debate between the candidates is Oct. 8. This issue will likely come up.
It is always difficult to gauge how voters look at issues such as these.
As we see from the above, the polarization of the day neatly puts people into their two camps.
And those camps are getting closer.
A poll last week by The Hill, a website covering Congress, showed the race tied at 43 percent.
That was a change from previous polls that on average showed Sherrill with an 8 point lead.
This has everyone anticipating the next poll.
By William Swanson, Special to The Central Observer