Dale Caldwell resigned Friday as New Jersey lieutenant governor after a probe found repeated ethics violations and a substantiated sexual-harassment finding, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said. She is appointing an interim secretary of state to oversee midterm elections.
The report said there was credible evidence that Caldwell made a romantic advance toward a female staffer’s friend and, after it was rebuffed, made sexually inappropriate comments to the staffer about the friend. Investigators also said Caldwell’s team repeatedly cautioned him and that he tried multiple times to secure a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship.
The lieutenant governor also serves as secretary of state and oversees a state agency with election oversight, although counties and municipalities handle much of election administration. Sherrill released the findings Thursday and gave Caldwell a day to resign. His attorney said he would forcefully challenge the report, called its findings “specious” and said counsel was exploring legal remedies.
