New Jersey lieutenant governor resigns after release of damaging ethics report
New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has resigned from his position following an investigation that found he violated state ethics and harassment policy, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said Friday at a press conference. “He submitted his resignation to me this afternoon, which I accepted,” Sherrill said. Caldwell was not present at the announcement. On Thursday, Sherrill urged Caldwell’s resignation after releasing a report summarizing the findings of a probe of his behavior conducted by a law firm hired by the state, which found evidence that he violated ethics rules by committing sexual harassment. In a statement Thursday, Sherrill said that Caldwell, a fellow Democrat, “engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office. I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so.” Caldwell’s resignation, she added, “is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.” Investigators said in the 61-page report that they found credible evidence that Caldwell violated workplace policy “in his conduct by commenting to a female staffer that young women want ‘young sperm.’” They also found he violated an ethics code and code of conduct “when he brought guests to ticketed events without payment or reimbursement” and “when he sought to obtain a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship.” Lawyers for Caldwell, who has denied the allegations, said in a statement Thursday night that they “strongly disputed the three findings in the investigation,” as its conclusions “go further than the evidence supports.” “This unnecessarily protracted and one-sided process lacked the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state,” said Caldwell’s attorney Thomas Calcagni. Calcagni didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. On Friday, Sherrill pushed back on Calcagni’s criticism of the investigation, saying: “I think it’s very thorough. It lays out exactly what the investigation looked into.” She added that Caldwell’s own statements were included in the report, saying, “So, obviously he was fully involved in this as well.” Sherrill also defended having Caldwell step in as acting governor on several occasions after the investigation began, saying, “As a former federal prosecutor, it is important to me that everyone have a fair hearing.” “Once I saw those complaints, once I saw the findings of that investigation, I acted quickly and asked for the resignation of the lieutenant governor,” Sherrill said. The governor said her demand that Caldwell step down is part of her efforts to dismantle a culture that ignores victims. “There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug,” Sherrill said. “That is not the kind of government I’m running. When I say there is a culture change taking place, I mean it. This is part of it.” New Jersey state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, a Democrat, applauded Sherrill for her “commitment to hold public officials to the highest standards.” “Following an independent investigation, Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell was right to resign from office today,” Coughlin said in a statement. “We must ensure the work of governing is uninterrupted and that serving the people of New Jersey remains a top priority.” Caldwell was also serving as New Jersey’s secretary of state, an office that oversees elections. Sherrill said Friday that the state’s acting comptroller, Shirley Emehelu, would become acting secretary of state with just weeks to go until the midterm elections. “Shirley is a veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office,” Sherrill said. “She has the judgment to run these elections and the strength to stand up to Trump’s attacks on voting.” The lieutenant governor’s duties also include filling in for the governor when she leaves the state. Sherrill said that until a new lieutenant governor is in place, there is “an order of command” for who would step in for her during any absence, beginning with the state Senate president. Under New Jersey law, the lieutenant governor must be replaced within 45 days of the position becoming vacant. Sherrill said she would “certainly” make a permanent appointment within that time frame but does not plan on naming an acting lieutenant governor in the meantime. “We will be making sure with our chief counsel that we’re following the rules,” Sherrill said. “This is a little bit of a new area for New Jersey, so we’re going to ensure that we get legal opinions and follow the process there.”
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