New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill called for Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell to resign on September 24, 2026, following the release of an investigative report that detailed state ethics violations and alleged that Caldwell sexually harassed a subordinate. Sherrill stated that Caldwell’s resignation “is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.”
Investigation Findings and State Ethics Violations
The investigation, conducted by former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino, concluded that there was credible evidence Caldwell made a romantic advance toward a friend of a female staffer and made a lewd comment when he was rejected. According to the report, that comment “had the effect of unreasonably interfering with the staffer’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.” The inquiry began after an anonymous complaint letter reached the state’s chief ethics officer in May, as originally reported by the New Jersey Globe.
Investigators also found credible evidence that Caldwell tried more than once to promote a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship. The report also documented that Caldwell brought personal guests to ticketed events without clearance and without payment or reimbursement, even after multiple ethics trainings and discussions on the code of conduct. Witnesses told investigators that Caldwell was looking for a “first lady,” purportedly in connection with a potential future candidacy for governor, and that staffers interpreted comments about “executive presence” and having “one on each arm” to be about the physical appearance of staffers.
Legal Defense and Due Process Claims
Caldwell denied the allegations through his lawyers. Thomas Calcagni, a lawyer for Caldwell, stated that the lieutenant governor participated in the investigative process faithfully but did not receive “the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state.” Calcagni asserted that Caldwell “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.”
Caldwell’s representatives maintained that the report’s conclusions went further than the evidence supported and denied that he made the lewd remark. Despite these denials, Governor Sherrill emphasized that she will not accept a culture that sweeps misconduct under the rug.
Political Context and State Operations
Alongside his duties as lieutenant governor, Caldwell serves as New Jersey’s secretary of state, the state’s top election official. The controversy coincides with administrative preparations for the upcoming midterm elections. In July, Governor Sherrill disclosed that as many as 6,600 non-U.S. citizens registered to vote in New Jersey in 2023 and 2024 because of a software flaw, though fewer than 400 cast ballots.
Addressing potential disruptions, Sherrill stated that her administration has been “working around the clock to make sure that our elections are ready to go” and that they are “fair and safe.” The governor would not confirm or deny any restrictions or guardrails on Caldwell’s power.
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