New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned Friday, Sept. 25, one day after Gov. Mikie Sherrill called for him to step down over three substantiated ethics violations.
Caldwell is the first lieutenant governor to resign since the position was created in 2009. His departure leaves both the lieutenant governor and secretary of state posts vacant weeks before the November general election.
Sherrill announced at a Trenton press conference that acting State Comptroller Shirley Emehelu will serve as acting secretary of state and oversee the election, according to NJ Spotlight News. For Cherry Hill voters heading to the polls, Emehelu is now the state official responsible for election administration.
"She has the judgment to run these elections and the strength to stand up to Trump's attacks on voting," Sherrill said of Emehelu at the press conference.
Camden County Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. praised Sherrill's decision in a statement the same day, saying the governor "has put this distraction to bed so we can move on as a state."
What the investigation found
An independent probe led by former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino and the Roseland law firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP produced a 61-page report substantiating three violations, according to NJBIZ.
The most serious: sexual harassment. Investigators found Caldwell made a romantic advance toward a female staffer's friend. After being rebuffed, he told the staffer that she, her friend and women like them needed a man in a position to help them, then made a crude remark. Investigators found the staffer's account credible, citing the consistency of her story across two interviews and a photograph she took to document the date, time and location.
The second violation: Caldwell used his official position to push his girlfriend's career advancement, including emailing her resume to another state official from his government account. The relationship itself was not a violation. The advocacy was.
The third: Caldwell accepted free admission for personal guests at ticketed events between Feb. 19 and May 23, with ticket prices ranging from $65 to $300. At least eight such events were identified.
The inquiry began after officials received an anonymous complaint May 14. Caldwell was notified May 22 that he was under investigation. The ethics violations occurred despite Caldwell having received additional workplace-conduct training beforehand.
Caldwell disputes findings
Caldwell, 66, a Methodist pastor and former president of Centenary University in Hackettstown, said in a Friday statement that his resignation "should not be interpreted as an acceptance of the report's findings," as reported by the Associated Press.
His attorney, Thomas Calcagni, called the report's findings "specious" and said Caldwell resigned to end what Calcagni described as a campaign to discredit his character, according to Gothamist.
As an elected official, Caldwell could not simply be fired. His resignation avoids possible impeachment proceedings.
What this means for Cherry Hill voters
With the lieutenant governor post empty, Senate President Nicholas Scutari will serve as acting governor whenever Sherrill is outside New Jersey or unable to perform her duties. Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is next in the succession line.
Sherrill has 45 days from Caldwell's official resignation date to name a successor. She said she will look for someone "with a history really focused on the public good," according to Patch.
Emehelu also inherits a pending Republican National Committee lawsuit seeking information on roughly 6,000 voter registrations from people who indicated they were not U.S. citizens. At least 5,100 of those names have already been removed from voter rolls.
Cherry Hill's November ballots will include a Camden County open-space tax question, as we reported Sept. 25. Emehelu's office will certify those results.
