FIRST ON FOX: Former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell insisted on camera Friday that he resigned “to make a difference” rather than impede Gov. Mikie Sherrill, while directly disputing the findings of a sexual harassment and ethics probe that forced him from office.
Caldwell’s departure came just one day after Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill publicly called for his resignation following a months-long independent ethics investigation. The 61-page report described repeated ethics violations, including a “substantiated” finding of sexual harassment and repeated improper efforts to secure a state job promotion for a woman with whom he was romantically involved.
Speaking on camera for the first time since his resignation to a reporter outside his home, Caldwell slammed the state’s investigative report as “specious,” “ridiculous” and “poorly done,” adding he resigned to keep any “distraction” away from the Sherrill administration.
“I’m not resigning because of that ridiculous report,” Caldwell said on camera. “I’m resigning because I don’t want to be a distraction to the Mikie Sherrill administration.
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“If I’m going to impede anybody else’s ability to be successful, then I can move on to something else,” Caldwell added, citing his history as a university president and working at the Deloitte consulting firm.
When pressed about the allegations in the report, Caldwell encouraged people to go read it for themselves but said he was only providing specifics through his attorney for now.
“I just think it was poorly done. It was poorly done. I mean, I just think that there are ways that they could have done better. And I was just disappointed in the legal, the legal work in that,” Caldwell added.
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Caldwell also mentioned that he spoke with Gov. Sherrill via text message Friday, noting “she’s a wonderful person” and “she really means well” but did not provide any more specifics on that conversation.
“This is one of those things that happens. And as I said, I’m going to continue to work as a private citizen,” Caldwell said. “I’m freed up to do a lot more things. So, I’m looking forward to supporting the administration and really supporting folks.”
According to the probe into Caldwell’s behavior, conducted by an independent law firm hired by the state, Caldwell violated ethics rules after telling a female staffer that “you young women are looking for young sperm” after she told him her younger friend was not interested in a romantic relationship with him.
Investigators concluded the remark constituted sexual harassment and found Caldwell’s denial that he made it was not credible. Other findings from the probe included violations of the code of conduct and ethics around bringing guests to ticketed events without reimbursement and seeking a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship.
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Lawyers for Caldwell said Thursday they “strongly disputed the three findings in the investigation” because its conclusions “go further than the evidence supports,” according to NBC News.
But Sherrill pushed back on the criticism from Thomas Calcagni, Caldwell’s lawyer, of the investigation, saying she thought it was “very thorough,” adding it “lays out exactly what the investigation looked into, who they contacted and spoke to, and I think lays out a pattern and practice of long-term concerning behavior.”
She also called the claims of sexual harassment “substantiated” and said Caldwell continued to violate standards despite “multiple” violations and ethics trainings.
Caldwell was also serving as New Jersey’s secretary of state, heading an office that oversees elections. Sherrill said Friday that the state’s acting comptroller, Shirley Emehelu, would become acting secretary of state with just weeks to go until the midterm elections.
Under the New Jersey State Constitution, a vacancy in the office of the lieutenant governor must be permanently filled by the governor within 45 days. Addressing the transition, Sherrill confirmed she will appoint a permanent successor within that constitutionally mandated 45-day window but stated she does not plan to name an acting lieutenant governor in the interim.
Without an interim lieutenant governor in place, the line of gubernatorial succession falls to Senate President Nicholas Scutari in the event of an emergency or if Sherrill leaves the state before a permanent appointment is made.
