New Jersey Governor Urges Complaints as Lieutenant Governor Investigation Continues

Governor Mikie Sherrill said on Tuesday that any credible report of misconduct will be examined and, if warranted, addressed promptly, and she urged anyone with additional allegations to come forward. She emphasized that complainants will be protected from retaliation and that the subject of a complaint will receive a fair and thorough review.

The administration has reportedly tasked former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Perrino with leading an inquiry into alleged inappropriate behavior by Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell, according to a New Jersey Globe report. A spokesperson for the law firm where Perrino works declined to comment on the investigation, and the governor’s office has not independently confirmed that Caldwell is under investigation.

Republican leaders, including Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio and Assemblymember Christopher DePhillips, issued a joint statement requesting that the governor disclose the investigation’s start date, consider placing Caldwell on administrative leave, and release the findings publicly. Democratic Assemblymember Katie Brennan praised the governor’s response and said she would introduce legislation to establish clear standards for handling such complaints.

Caldwell’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Other state leaders, including Senate President Nicholas Scutari and House Speaker Craig Coughlin, also declined to comment. Caldwell serves as both lieutenant governor and secretary of state, overseeing New Jersey’s Division of Elections, while a separate probe continues into non-citizen voting registrations from the prior administration.