New Jersey Gov.Mikie Sherrill said Thursday evening that she gave Lt.
Gov.Dale Caldwell “until tomorrow” to resign after an investigation found he had violated state ethics and harassment policy.
“Today, I’m announcing the conclusion and findings of an independent investigation into allegations regarding Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell,” Sherrill wrote on X.“The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor 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.” The state said this month that it had hired a law firm to investigate allegations against Caldwell, a Democrat who was elected on the ticket with Sherrill last year, claiming that he had behaved inappropriately toward women.Sherrill said Caldwell’s “ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings.” “The substantiated finding of sexual harassment is extremely troubling.
I’ve seen firsthand how a hostile culture can undermine everyone’s ability to succeed.It’s insidious and ruptures the trust within an organization,” she said.
Sherrill said that the investigation “fully examined the evidence, followed the facts, and protected everyone’s privacy” and that Caldwell’s resignation “is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.” 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 Thomas Calcagni, a lawyer for Caldwell.Calcagni said Caldwell was “not provided a meaningful opportunity to address each of these anonymous allegations or offer readily identifiable witnesses who possess...