New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned Friday after a 61-page investigation found he sexually harassed female staffers, pushed for his girlfriend's promotion, and freeloaded at ticketed state events — yet another establishment pol who lectures ordinary Americans on morality while refusing to control himself.
The resignation comes just 39 days before midterm elections, when the lieutenant governor — who also serves as the state's chief elections officer — is supposed to oversee the democratic process. Instead, Gov. Mikie Sherrill will install acting comptroller Shirley Emehelu as acting lieutenant governor, swapping one insider for another while insisting New Jerseyans "deserve accountability."
The investigation, led by former Attorney General Christopher Porrino, found credible evidence that Caldwell made a romantic advance toward a female staffer's friend at an official event. When rejected, Caldwell fumed in the back of his state vehicle, telling the aide: "you young women are looking for young sperm." Investigators concluded the remark constituted sexual harassment and found Caldwell's denial not credible.
Investigators also determined Caldwell advocated for his girlfriend — a state employee — to receive a "senior leadership position" without disclosing their relationship until confronted. He kept pushing for her promotion even after learning he was under investigation. She ultimately did not receive the promotion and no longer works in state government.
Caldwell also brought personal guests, including his girlfriend, to ticketed events — among them a Rowan University Rosa Parks Scholarship Luncheon and the State Opera of New Jersey — without authorization or payment. Tickets ranged from $65 to $300.
Caldwell's lawyer, Thomas Calcagni, dismissed the investigation as a "targeted campaign to discredit his character" and said counsel is "fully exploring all legal remedies." Caldwell himself told the New York Times: "I'm not resigning because of the report. It's false. I'm resigning because I don't want to be a distraction to the administration." He previously blamed race, claiming "false accusations, especially against people of color, seem to be commonplace."
The irony is thick. Sherrill handpicked Caldwell as her running mate in 2025, calling him a "voice for the voiceless" and praising his march in Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Now she says she holds everyone to "the highest ethical standard" — the same standard she apparently suspended when she needed a running mate who checked the right boxes.
Sherrill declared Friday: "We can no longer tolerate the culture of silence, sweeping things under the rug or kicking cans down the road." Easy to say now. The anonymous complaint that sparked the investigation came in May. The culture of silence Sherrill decries is the one she benefited from until the stink got too strong to ignore.
Caldwell says he'll fight to clear his name. Sherrill says she's cleaning house. Working New Jerseyans are left to wonder how many more "voices for the voiceless" are still whispering in the halls of power — and who's still covering for them.
