Caldwell will resign as lieutenant governor after harassment, ethics findings

Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell will resign after a damning internal investigation substantiated allegations that he sexually harassed a female staffer and repeatedly violated state ethics rules, the New Jersey Globe has confirmed.

Caldwell’s decision comes one day after Gov. Mikie Sherrill called for his resignation and gave him until Friday to step down.  His departure averts an unprecedented constitutional confrontation over how to remove a sitting lieutenant governor, an independently elected official whom the governor cannot simply fire.

“The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office,” Sherrill said Thursday night. “I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so.”

Sherrill will have 45 days from the effective date of Caldwell’s resignation to appoint a replacement.  The appointment does not require Senate confirmation, and there will be no special election.

She will also need to designate an acting Secretary of State to oversee the November general election. Caldwell holds both posts and, as Secretary of State, serves as New Jersey’s chief election official.

The new lieutenant governor does not need to serve as Secretary of State. Sherrill may appoint separate people to the two posts and can assign Caldwell’s successor as lieutenant governor to another cabinet-level department or state agency.

Until a new lieutenant governor is installed, Senate President Nicholas Scutari would serve as acting governor whenever Sherrill is outside New Jersey or otherwise unable to perform her duties. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin would be next in the line of succession.

The 61-page report, delivered to Sherrill on Wednesday, found that Caldwell sexually harassed a female staffer by telling her that she, a younger friend and other successful women needed men who could help them, “but you young women are looking for young sperm.”

Caldwell denied making the remark, but investigators found the staffer credible and concluded that the comment was derogatory or demeaning based on sex and constituted sexual harassment under the state’s workplace policy.

The investigation also substantiated allegations that Caldwell brought personal guests to ticketed events without paying or reimbursing their admission and that he used his office to advocate for a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship without disclosing that relationship.

The report found that Caldwell verbally advocated for the woman’s promotion and used his state email account on May 26 — four days after being formally notified that he was under investigation — to contact another administration official and again suggest that she be promoted.

Caldwell acknowledged that he had not disclosed the romantic nature of their relationship.

The investigation also found that Caldwell received at least five trainings, warnings or counseling interventions before the investigation began, including two direct warnings about his conduct toward women and repeated guidance concerning unpaid guests at official events.

“These violations substantiated in the investigation reflect a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this Administration,” Sherrill said. “The ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings. The substantiated finding of sexual harassment is extremely troubling.”

Investigators identified seven ticketed events between February 19 and May 23 where Caldwell brought one or more guests who were admitted without payment, along with another event for which they could not establish a date.  Known ticket prices ranged from $65 to $300.

Former Attorney General Christopher Porrino and the Lowenstein law firm were retained on May 21 to conduct the investigation.

Caldwell’s attorney, Thomas Calcagni, sharply disputed the findings Thursday night and characterized the investigation as unfair and one-sided.

“This unnecessarily protracted and one-sided process lacked the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state,” Calcagni said. “The Lieutenant Governor was not provided a meaningful opportunity to address each of these anonymous allegations or offer readily identifiable witnesses who possessed more pertinent, first-hand knowledge of the events in question.”

Pressure on Caldwell intensified overnight, with U.S. Sens. Cory Booker and Andy Kim joining Sherrill in calling for him to leave office.

“Governor Sherrill is absolutely right the conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable,” Booker said. “For the sake of our state Lt. Governor Caldwell should resign.”

Sherrill selected Caldwell, a Methodist minister and former university president, as her running mate last year.  They won the 2025 gubernatorial election by 14 points and took office on January 20.

Caldwell became the first man to serve as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor.  Before his election, he served as president of Centenary University and spent 26 years on the New Brunswick Board of Education.