NJ Governor Urges Lt. Governor to Step Down Amid Harassment Probe

WHO:

Fox News - New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill and Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell are involved in the situation.

WHAT:

NBC News - Governor Mikie Sherrill stated, “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.”

NBC News - State Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco described the investigation’s findings as “deeply disappointing” and stated, “This situation has gone on for far too long, and if he doesn’t agree to resign, the Legislature should follow the necessary protocols to resolve this matter once and for all.”

NBC News - Governor Mikie Sherrill stated, “I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so.”

NBC News - The state hired a law firm to investigate allegations against Caldwell, who was elected on the ticket with Sherrill last year.

NBC News - Sherrill described the substantiated finding of sexual harassment as “extremely troubling” and noted that a hostile culture can undermine success.

NBC News - Caldwell's lawyers claimed the investigation's conclusions “go further than the evidence supports.”

NBC News - Thomas Calcagni, a lawyer for Caldwell, stated that the process “lacked the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state.”

NBC News - Governor Mikie Sherrill stated, “Today, I’m announcing the conclusion and findings of an independent investigation into allegations regarding Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell,” and emphasized that the investigation “fully examined the evidence, followed the facts, and protected everyone’s privacy.”

NBC News - The investigation's findings included that Caldwell had engaged in "serious, repeated violations of state policy" and failed to uphold his responsibilities as Lt. Governor.

NBC News - Caldwell is only the fourth lieutenant governor in New Jersey history, a role established by referendum in 2005.

NBC News - Caldwell is also New Jersey’s secretary of state, overseeing elections, which is critical as the midterm elections approach in November.

NBC News - Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that the investigation found Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell engaged in "serious, repeated violations of state policy" and failed to uphold his responsibilities.

NBC News - The 61-page report concluded that Caldwell sexually harassed a young female staffer and her friend, and he violated state ethics rules by attempting to promote a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship.

NBC News - Caldwell was found to have made a practice of taking personal guests to ticketed events without providing payment or reimbursement for the tickets.

Fox News - Governor Mikie Sherrill called for Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell to resign after an investigation substantiated allegations of sexual harassment and ethics violations.

Gothamist - A report confirmed allegations of inappropriate comments made by Dale Caldwell.

WHERE:

Gothamist - The events are taking place in New Jersey, referred to as the Garden State.

WHEN:

Fox News - Governor Sherrill gave Lt. Governor Caldwell a deadline to resign by Friday.

WHY:

NBC News - Sherrill emphasized that Caldwell’s “ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings.”

NBC News - Sherrill stated that Caldwell's "ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings."

Gothamist - Sherrill stated that it is “in the best interest” for Garden State residents for Caldwell to step down.

HOW:

NBC News - Caldwell was found to have violated ethics rules by using his office to try to promote a state employee whom he had a romantic relationship with “on multiple occasions,” without disclosing the relationship.

NBC News - The investigation found Caldwell violated ethics rules by attempting to promote a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship “on multiple occasions.”

NBC News - Lawyers for Caldwell claimed the investigation lacked due process and that he was not given a meaningful opportunity to address the allegations.

Fox News - The investigation that led to the call for resignation substantiated the allegations against Caldwell.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 09:01 UTC)

Governor Mikie Sherrill expressed deep concern over the substantiated findings of sexual harassment, emphasizing that a hostile culture can severely undermine success and trust within an organization. Meanwhile, State Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco called the investigation's results "deeply disappointing," urging that if the individual involved does not resign, the Legislature should take action to resolve the situation. The investigation revealed that Caldwell violated ethics rules by attempting to promote a state employee he had a romantic relationship with on multiple occasions, without disclosing that relationship.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 05:57 UTC)

Governor Mikie Sherrill has called for the resignation of Caldwell, giving him until tomorrow to step down following an investigation that revealed he violated ethics rules by trying to promote a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship. Sherrill described the substantiated finding of sexual harassment as “extremely troubling,” emphasizing that Caldwell’s ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings. Caldwell's lawyers have pushed back, claiming the investigation's conclusions exceed what the evidence supports and arguing that the process lacked the due process that should be afforded to every citizen of the state.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 05:00 UTC)

Governor Mikie Sherrill announced the conclusion of an independent investigation into Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell, stating that the inquiry thoroughly examined the evidence and protected everyone's privacy. The investigation found that Caldwell had committed serious and repeated violations of state policy, failing to uphold his responsibilities in his role. As New Jersey's secretary of state, Caldwell oversees elections, making the timing of these findings particularly significant with the midterm elections approaching in November.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 03:59 UTC)

Governor Mikie Sherrill announced that an investigation found Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell engaged in serious violations of state policy, including sexual harassment of a young female staffer and her friend, as well as ethics violations related to promoting a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship. The 61-page report revealed that Caldwell also regularly took personal guests to ticketed events without paying for their tickets, and Sherrill emphasized that these ethical lapses continued despite multiple warnings and trainings. In response, Caldwell's lawyers argued that the investigation lacked due process and that he was not given a fair chance to address the allegations against him.

(UPDATED September 25, 2026 02:04 UTC)

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has called for Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell to resign after an investigation confirmed allegations of sexual harassment and ethics violations. Sherrill stated that it is “in the best interest” for Garden State residents for Caldwell to step down, giving him a deadline to resign by Friday. The investigation substantiated claims of inappropriate comments made by Caldwell, prompting this significant action in the Garden State.