New Jersey lieutenant governor steps down after ethics investigation

Dale Caldwell resigned as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor on Friday after a 61-page state ethics report concluded he had engaged in sexual harassment and other misconduct. Governor Mikie Sherrill announced the resignation and said she would name the state’s acting comptroller, Shirley Emehelu, as acting lieutenant governor.

The investigation, launched in May after an anonymous complaint, found credible evidence that Caldwell made romantic advances toward a female staffer’s friend, used taxpayer-funded travel to bring personal guests to events without reimbursement, and attempted to secure a promotion for his girlfriend, a state employee, without disclosing their relationship.

"We can no longer tolerate the culture of silence, sweeping things under the rug or kicking cans down the road," Sherrill said at a press conference in Trenton.

Caldwell’s attorney, Thomas Calcagni, said the resignation was intended to end what he described as a campaign to damage his reputation and that the legal team would challenge the report’s findings.

"Dr. Caldwell’s resignation, submitted to put an end to the targeted campaign to discredit his character, does not in any way diminish our outrage concerning the investigative process and its specious findings," Calcagni said.

With the midterm elections approaching in 39 days, Sherrill said Emehelu’s experience in the Justice Department and the state attorney general’s office would help ensure the election process proceeds smoothly. The governor has 45 days to appoint a permanent lieutenant governor.