New Jersey Lt. Gov. Steps Down After Ethics Probe

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned Friday after an independent investigation found that he engaged in sexual harassment and violated state ethics rules, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced.

According to Fox News, Caldwell submitted his resignation after Sherrill gave him a Friday deadline to leave office.

“He submitted his resignation to me this afternoon, which I accepted,” Sherrill said during a news conference in Trenton.

The governor had called for Caldwell’s resignation after the investigation concluded that he had committed serious and repeated violations of state policy and failed to meet the responsibilities of his office.

An outside law firm investigated after allegations were brought to the state’s Chief Ethics Officer.

One finding involved an interaction with a female staffer after Caldwell allegedly made a romantic advance toward the staffer’s friend. When the friend rejected the advance, investigators said Caldwell made a sexually charged comment to the staffer.

According to the report, Caldwell told the woman, “you young women are looking for young sperm.” Investigators determined the remark amounted to sexual harassment and said Caldwell’s denial that he made the statement was not credible.

The investigation also found other alleged ethics violations.

The report said Caldwell sought a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship without disclosing that relationship, and it found issues involving personal guests attending ticketed events without proper payment or ethics clearance.

Sherrill said the conduct continued despite Caldwell receiving warnings and training related to workplace behavior and ethics. She said the findings showed a pattern of conduct that did not meet the standards of her administration.

Caldwell had previously denied wrongdoing and said he believed the allegations would be disproven. His attorney, Thomas Calcagni, continued to dispute the investigation after its findings were released, arguing that the process was one-sided and that Caldwell was not given a meaningful opportunity to respond to every allegation.

Caldwell’s resignation ends his tenure as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor after less than a year in office. The investigation and resignation have placed renewed attention on the conduct of senior officials within Sherrill’s administration.

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