New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill knew about her state’s voter registration error before calling President Trump a liar over election integrity claims, according to a Justice Department official, raising questions about the timing of her rebuke.
Sherrill announced on July 21 that a software glitch in New Jersey’s Motor Vehicle System had registered roughly 6,600 noncitizens to vote between June 2023 and June 2024, though fewer than 400 actually cast ballots. The same day, she declared that Trump “has zero credibility on the issue of election integrity.”
But Trump delivered a primetime speech on July 16 making claims about noncitizens on voter rolls in several states, including New Jersey. Sherrill signed on to a statement with 23 other Democratic governors shortly after, accusing the president of spreading “lies and conspiracy theories” about elections.
Harmeet Dhillon, the Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, told Fox News on Monday that Sherrill’s public attacks on Trump came despite her knowing the voter registration problem was about to become public. “When the president came out with his Primetime speech last Thursday, I believe on the sequencing of events that has been laid out, she already knew that this revelation was forthcoming,” Dhillon said. “She knew it, and she still went online and called the president a liar and said he was exaggerating. Shame on you, governor.”
The error occurred under the previous administration of Gov. Phil Murphy, who has denied knowledge of the software glitch. Sherrill ordered an investigation upon learning of the issue and began removing the affected voters from the rolls. She emphasized that her administration discovered and disclosed the problem, contrasting her approach with what she characterized as Trump’s pattern of denial and conspiracy theories on election matters.
Dhillon demanded that Sherrill turn over the identities of the noncitizens within five business days, warning that states refusing to cooperate with the Justice Department could face lawsuits. Sherrill has signaled she will not comply, arguing that the Trump administration wants to “weaponize” the data against individuals rather than focus on election security.
The disagreement reflects a broader clash over voter data and election administration. The DOJ has also sued New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell as part of its push to access voter roll information from states, claiming the noncitizen registration problem supports its case for why courts should force states to provide sensitive voter data.
Sources
- Fox News — Dhillon’s statement that Sherrill knew of the voter roll issue before calling Trump a liar
- New Jersey Governor’s Office — Sherrill’s July 21 statement announcing the software error and her criticism of Trump
- Talking Points Memo — Details on Dhillon’s demands for voter data and Sherrill’s refusal to comply
