As a former state commander of a major Veterans Service Organization, I know firsthand how difficult it is to obtain service records from the National Archives. That’s why, when I learned that a political operative tied to Jack Ciattarelli — the Trump-endorsed Republican running for governor in New Jersey — was handed the unredacted service records of his Ciattarelli’s opponent, Democrat Mikie Sherrill, my B.S. meter went off at full siren.
This was a movie I had seen before. As a college student, I had the honor of chauffeuring former Senator Max Cleland around New Jersey and New York. Cleland, a decorated Vietnam veteran who lost three limbs in combat, became one of the most shameful targets of political attacks. In 2002, his opponents, led by Karl Rove, launched attack ads questioning his patriotism and loyalty to America because he opposed parts of President George W. Bush’s post-9/11 security policies. The ads even morphed his image alongside Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, suggesting that a man who had literally sacrificed his body for his country was somehow soft on terrorism. It was a devastating smear campaign that weaponized Cleland’s service and sacrifice, an early and ugly example of how Republicans perfected the tactic of discrediting veterans when they couldn’t win on the issues. Cleland lost his bid for reelection in Georgia to Republican Saxby Chambliss.
Something similar played out when Senator John Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, ran for president against George W. Bush in 2004. Kerry had commanded a Navy swift boat in combat, earned multiple medals, and built his candidacy on national security credentials. But instead of debating him on policy, Republicans, led by Karl Rove, funded a group called “Swift Boat Veterans for Truth” whose sole purpose was to tear down his service record. Their ads and book were filled with distortions and outright lies. The attacks didn’t hold up under scrutiny, but by the time Kerry responded, the damage was done. His strength — his military record — had been turned into a liability.
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“Swiftboating” has since become shorthand for the nastiest, most dishonest kind of smear campaign. When Republicans can’t win on ideas, they try to strip honor from service. And they keep returning to this well.
Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey — the Democratic congresswoman and former federal prosecutor and Navy helicopter pilot running for governor (and leading in the polls) against MAGA Republican Jack Ciattarelli — has faced grotesque attempts to discredit her service.
Trump and the GOP’s strategy is clear: whether it’s gerrymandering in Texas or blocking duly elected Democratic members of Congress from taking their seats, if they can’t win, they use underhanded tactics to get the outcomes they want. In doing so, they not only erode the foundations of the democratic process, but also dishonor the service and sacrifice of those who risk their lives to defend it.
The smear now appears to include something illegal: the release of Sherrill’s unredacted military records, which would be a potential violation of the Privacy Act and multiple federal protections designed to safeguard the personal information of veterans and civilians. Releasing the records — which include Sherrill’s Social Security number, home address, and other personally identifiable information — is dangerous, putting Sherrill, and by extension all veterans, at risk.
The National Archives have been run by Secretary of State Marco Rubio since February. Politico reported this week that the Archives’ inspector general has opened an investigation into the improper release of Sherrill’s military records, in response to a request from Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, who called the release a “stunning failure.” Sherrill herself has accused the Trump administration of weaponizing veterans’ records to target a political opponent, and is even running an ad around the “despicable” act. “They broke a law to attack a veteran,” the ad reads.
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Republicans insist the release was an inadvertent error. As an advocate for veterans who has helped multiple veterans get their service records through the National Archives, I can tell you, it is not an error that I have experienced or have ever heard of in 25 years working in government.
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This is not just dirty politics; it’s corrosive to democracy. When military service itself becomes the target of political disinformation, we send a message to future generations: Your sacrifice can and will be weaponized against you if you dare to run for office. That doesn’t just hurt the candidates — it hurts the institution of service itself.
When Republicans dust off the swiftboat playbook, it tells us one thing: They know they’re losing. And when they attack veterans who put their lives on the line for this country, it tells us something else: They don’t deserve to lead it.