Naval Academy classmate slams Mikie Sherrill over resurfaced cheating scandal amid governor bid
TRENTON, NJ – A former U.S. Naval Academy classmate of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mikie Sherrill is speaking out, reigniting scrutiny over a decades-old cheating scandal as Sherrill campaigns for New Jersey’s highest office.
His editorial was recently published by the Daily Caller.
Retired Navy officer Brent D. Sadler, a 1994 Academy graduate, criticized Sherrill’s handling of the 1992 “double E” electrical engineering exam scandal in a Daily Caller opinion piece, alleging she failed to uphold the school’s honor code during the incident.
The controversy, which first shook the Naval Academy more than three decades ago, involved several midshipmen accused of obtaining and sharing a stolen test. Sadler claims Sherrill, though not among those who stole the exam, knew of the cheating and chose not to report it—an act he says violated the Academy’s core ethical principles.
That scandal, named after the electrical engineering exam, administered to all non-engineering majors at the Naval Academy tarred my entire class. The scandal involved a small group of students – midshipmen – stealing a copy of a test and then sharing it widely to give an edge on a notoriously tough class.
Word got out quickly, and a wider group became aware that the test was compromised. But too many at the time failed to act and stop what would become a years-long crisis of confidence in the Naval Academy. Now 33 years later, recent events have brought this saga to public awareness again.
Sherrill “broke the honor code”
In his column, Sadler argued that trust and honor are the foundation of military service, writing that Sherrill “broke the honor code” but faced lesser punishment than others involved. Records from that period indicate she was barred from walking at graduation but allowed to receive her diploma.
Sherrill was faced with a dilemma: uphold the honor code and divulge what she witnessed regarding cheating or cover for herself and her classmates. This isn’t an easy choice for a young person to make, but midshipmen as our future naval officers are held to a higher standard than the average citizen.
This is a situation we all studied as midshipmen in the “Ethics for the Junior Officer” course. We were taught then by the likes of Dr. Karel Montor, and presented with examples like that of Admiral James B. Stockdale, that our top loyalty was to our nation.
Sherill rejected these lessons and chose to obscure what she knew of the cheating. Her behavior ran the risk of expulsion — the normal punishment for this type of honor code violation — but instead she was told she wouldn’t be able to walk at her own graduation.
The issue has resurfaced during Sherrill’s gubernatorial campaign, with critics suggesting her past reflects on her integrity as a public official. Supporters, however, maintain she has long since moved past the episode and built a respected career in public service, including her tenure in Congress and her time as a Navy helicopter pilot.
I was a classmate of Mikie Sherrill’s at USNA 94’ she broke the honor code. She paid the price for it – lesser than most but that scandal was huge and massive stain on my alma mater. Rather than hide it she should embrace her past and own it and tell voters how she has… https://t.co/3AM4d0MUe8
— Brent D. Sadler (@brentdsadler) September 29, 2025
As polls tighten in the race, the decades-old scandal has taken on new political weight, drawing national media attention and reopening debate over the meaning of accountability and redemption in public life.
“The importance of military integrity is especially relevant given that decisions made in the past decade have given us a Navy too weak to deter China, and criminal behavior by our senior military leaders. Clearly too many of our leaders have strayed from this ideal, instead pursuing personal advancement when tough decisions and action were required,” Sadler said.
