Black leaders praise Caldwell’s decision to resign

A group of prominent Black elected officials, clergy members and civic leaders praised Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell for resigning and said Gov. Mikie Sherrill made a difficult but necessary decision in calling for him to step down.

“We commend and appreciate Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell for making what we know could not have been an easy decision,” the group said. “By choosing to step down and ending this controversy, he has put the interests of the people of New Jersey and the work of our state ahead of himself.”

Caldwell resigned after an internal investigation substantiated allegations of sexual harassment and ethics violations.  Sherrill called for his resignation after the report was released.

The signatories included Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson, the chair of the New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus, and New Jersey Democratic State Committee Chairman LeRoy Jones.

Other signatories included former Secretaries of State DeForest Soaries and Regena Thomas; former Hudson County Freeholder Gerard Balmir Jr.; the Rev. Charles Boyer; the Rev. Derrick Green; Gerry Gibbs; Jeannine LaRue; and Rick Thigpen.

“We also respect the difficult decision Governor Sherrill made,” they said. “Public service comes with an extraordinary responsibility to maintain the trust of the people we are privileged to serve. Accountability matters, and when difficult circumstances arise, leadership sometimes requires making difficult decisions.”

The group urged state leaders to move beyond the controversy and focus on protecting elections, expanding economic opportunity and addressing racial disparities.

“Now, we must turn our full attention to the important work of moving New Jersey ahead, “ the leaders stated.

We have elections to protect, racial iniquities identified in our state’s Disparity Study that demand meaningful action, businesses and families that need greater economic opportunity, and communities across New Jersey that are struggling and counting on us to deliver on a Black agenda.”

“There is simply too much at stake for New Jersey to be distracted from that work,” the group said. “We must now move forward together, remain focused on the people we serve, and continue doing the work necessary to make our state stronger and more equitable for every resident.”