New Jersey's lieutenant governor resigns amid sexual harassment findings - Reuters

New Jersey’s Democratic lieutenant governor, Dale Caldwell, submitted his resignation on Friday after a state‑commissioned law firm’s investigation concluded he had engaged in inappropriate behavior toward women and violated ethics standards. Governor Mikie Sherrill had given Caldwell until that day to step down, saying the controversy threatened to distract from her administration’s agenda.

The investigation, ordered by the governor’s office, found that Caldwell, who also serves as the state’s secretary of state and has acted as governor in Sherrill’s absence, behaved inappropriately around women and failed to adhere to established ethical guidelines. The report was released on Thursday, prompting the governor to publicly request his resignation the same day.

In a brief statement, Caldwell said he was resigning to prevent the controversy from interfering with the work of the administration. He added that he believed his relationships with women were being subjected to heightened scrutiny because he is a single Black man.

At a news conference, Governor Sherrill emphasized her commitment to addressing what she described as a longstanding culture of overlooking sexual harassment in state government. She said, “There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug. That is not the kind of government I’m running,” and affirmed that a cultural change is underway.

Caldwell’s resignation comes weeks before the upcoming midterm elections, which will determine control of Congress, and follows weeks of criticism from Republican lawmakers who have pressed the governor on the investigation’s findings.

The lieutenant governor’s departure ends a tenure of less than a year, during which he oversaw New Jersey’s elections as secretary of state and occasionally served as acting governor. The administration indicated that the vacancy will be filled in accordance with state law.