Scrutiny Mounts For Sherrill Over Naval Academy Cheating Scandal

❎ Mikie Sherrill defends her Naval Academy record amid renewed scrutiny of a 30-year-old cheating scandal.

️️❓ Questions arise over husband Jason Hedberg’s role in a related lawsuit against the Navy.

️️💲 With Election Day looming, the controversy could derail Sherrill’s message on affordability.

Democratic candidate for governor Mikie Sherrill spent the weekend defending her military record as her role in a cheating scandal at the U.S. Naval Academy has become a central issue in the campaign.

There is no evidence that Sherrill was suspected of cheating. She says she was barred from walking with her graduating class because she refused to identify classmates who did. But Sherrill is being vague about her role in the scandal that rocked Annapolis 30 years ago.

🕵️‍♀️ Naval Academy cheating scandal resurfaces after 30 years

Now it is also being reported that her husband, Jason Hedberg, may have also been involved in some way.

Hedberg and Sherrill were classmates. He was allowed to walk during graduation but was also involved in a lawsuit against the Naval Academy, the U.S. Navy, and the Pentagon in 1994.

The suit claimed military investigators denied plaintiffs their rights against self-incrimination. A judge ultimately tossed the suit out of court.

❓ Who is Jason Hedberg? Sherrill’s husband tied to 1994 lawsuit

Hedberg graduated and went on to become a Navy intelligence officer. When he left the Navy, he began a career in finance.

Sherrill released a new campaign ad over the weekend featuring a fellow former Navy veteran who says he served with Sherrill. In the ad, Lt. Cmdr. Karsten says, "Attacking her service record isn’t just wrong, it's a blatant lie."

⚠️ Controversy threatens to eclipse Sherrill’s campaign message

What has been a distraction for Sherrill as the campaign for governor moves into the final weeks before election day is threatening to become a major roadblock.

The cheating scandal at Annapolis is well documented. Neither Sherrill nor Hedberg have been directly accused of cheating on an exam that led to the expulsion of dozens of cadets.

However, there is a lack of specifics regarding why Sherrill was disciplined and not allowed to walk with her classmates. It's also not clear why Hedberg was a part of the lawsuit against the Navy.

Recent polls have consistently identified property taxes, utility rates, and overall affordability as the issues most voters are focusing on in this critical race for the next governor.

The longer Sherrill has to answer questions about her military service, the less time she has to make a case to voters about how she intends to make New Jersey more affordable.

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