New Jersey’s lieutenant governor resigns after sexual harassment and ethics complaints

TRENTON: New Jersey 's Democratic lieutenant governor resigned Friday, pushed out by the state's governor after less than a year in office over accusations of ethics lapses and inappropriate behavior with women.

Key points

• Bob Menendez, who quit after his 2024 bribery conviction, and New Jersey Gov.
• As her replacement lieutenant governor nominee, hochul is now running for reelection in November with Adrienne Adams, the former speaker of the New York City Council.
• Kristin Corrado on Friday questioned Sherrill's judgment for allowing Caldwell to serve as acting governor when she left the state, even as his conduct was being investigated.
• Caldwell, the fourth lieutenant governor since the position was created in 2009, is the first to resign.
• As her running mate last year, sherrill picked Caldwell, a Methodist pastor and former president of Centenary University.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, additionally a Democrat, had given Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell until Friday to resign, seeking to end a scandal that threatened to be a drag on her fledgling administration.

Republicans have hammered Sherrill for weeks regarding the investigation into Caldwell. This person served as acting governor in her absence. He additionally oversaw elections as New Jersey's secretary of state, and his resignation comes weeks ahead of midterm elections that will decide who controls Congress.

At a news conference announcing the resignation, Sherrill remarked she was committed to changing what she called a longstanding challenge in state administration of residents turning a blind eye to sexual harassment.

"There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug, " she remarked.

"That is not the kind of government I'm running, " she continued. "When I say there is a culture change taking place, I mean it."

For context, the governor had pressed Caldwell to resign on Thursday after a law firm she hired issued a report saying he behaved inappropriately around women.

While maintaining that the matter had damaged his reputation, in an official note Friday, Caldwell remarked he stepped down to keep the controversy from interfering with Sherrill's notable work.

"My decision to resign should not be interpreted as an acceptance of the report's findings, " he remarked. His attorney, Thomas Calcagni, remarked they were looking into legal options to challenge the report. Caldwell's resignation was far from certain.

As her running mate last year, sherrill picked Caldwell, a Methodist pastor and former president of Centenary University. They took office in January, but within four months, Caldwell had become the subject of an anonymous complaint regarding his behavior with women.

Caldwell at first indicated no signs he would leave office willingly. In New Jersey, a governor can't fire the lieutenant governor, but Caldwell could have been impeached and removed by the legislature.

Sherrill remarked to journalists she'd spoken and texted with Caldwell in recent days, but wouldn't say whether he expressed any remorse. Sherrill faces questions regarding her judgement.

Republican state Sen. Kristin Corrado on Friday questioned Sherrill's judgment for allowing Caldwell to serve as acting governor when she left the state, even as his conduct was being investigated.

"New Jersey residents deserve leadership, transparency, and answers from their government, " she remarked. "So far, we have gotten none."

In practice, the resignation probably won't move the needle much in New Jersey's midterms, remarked Matt Hale, a political science professor at Seton Hall University, but it gives Republicans fresh ammunition against the governor.

Still, he remarked, Democrats can contrast Caldwell's swift dismissal with the Trump administration's attitude toward controversy.

"This wouldn't even make page six news if it was at the federal level, " Hale remarked. The allegations went beyond inappropriate comments.

For context, the law firm's report published Thursday stated Caldwell committed a number of violations of state policy. It remarked Caldwell, 66, produced an advance toward a staff member's friend and when he was rebuffed informed the staffer, "you young women are looking for young sperm."

As required by ethics rules, the report remarked Caldwell had tried to secure a promotion for a state employee he was dating and brought personal guests to the opera and other ticketed events without paying for them.

Although he denied ordering anyone to promote her, caldwell's lawyer remarked his client "categorically denies" making the sperm statement but acknowledged that Caldwell had recommended the woman for a promotion. Caldwell denied other claims, including that he offered out his business cards to women for inappropriate reasons.

In a letter included in the report, Caldwell remarked he suspected his relationships with women were being subjected to extra scrutiny as he was a single Black man.

"This (resignation) might hurt her with some Black Democratic men, " remarked Richard Bensel, a administration professor at Cornell University, "but I suspect that will be more than compensated by the approval of Black Democratic women."

Until a new lieutenant governor is named, state Senate President Nicholas Scutari will step in as acting governor if Sherrill is away or unable to perform her duties. The secretary of state roll will be filled by the acting state comptroller, Shirley Emehelu. Lieutenant governor turmoil isn't unique to New Jersey.

In neighboring New York, a similar impasse has played out over the past year between Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul and her estranged Lt. Gov. Antonio Delgado, who introduced a caustic primary challenge to unseat her only to withdraw from the race as the election neared.

Caldwell, the fourth lieutenant governor since the position was created in 2009, is the first to resign. But he's hardly the first Garden State politician to be felled by scandal.

U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez, who quit after his 2024 bribery conviction, and New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey, who resigned in 2004 after coming out as gay as questions swirled regarding him appointing his one-time lover as the state's homeland security adviser. Both are additionally Democrats.

In short, new Jersey's lieutenant governor resigns after sexual harassment and ethics complaints is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.