NJ Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigns after ethics investigation

TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has stepped down, one day after an ethics investigation found Caldwell "engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy."

Caldwell resigns

What we know:

Caldwell submitted his resignation on Friday afternoon, Gov. Mikie Sherrill announced.

The backstory:

The announcement comes less than a day after Sherrill announced the results of an independent ethics investigation into the now-former lieutenant governor.

Investigation into Dale Caldwell

Sherrill's office began its investigation into Caldwell in May, after receiving an anonymous complaint, alleging that he was abusing his position to bring uninvited guests into ticketed events on at least seven occasions, and was "hitting on women at functions while traveling using taxpayer money."

"He has been particularly shameless in handing out his state business cards and asking women on dates," the letter read.

Investigators also found that Caldwell made at least one sexual comment to a staff member, and twice tried to secure a promotion within the government for his girlfriend.

Caldwell "allegedly asked whether Staffer-1 ‘s friend was still single," the report said, and that when she told him she wasn’t interested, he "remarked… that Staffer-1, her friend, and women like them were ambitious and successful and needed a man who was in a position to help them, ‘but you young women are looking for young sperm.’"

According to the state's report, several of Caldwell's violations came shortly after he was reprimanded for violating other ethics rules, and even after he was told he was being investigated.

"Using his state email account, on May 26, 2026 — less than one month after being admonished and trained with regard to workplace conduct and ethics matters, and four days after the Chief Ethics Officer formally notified him of this investigation — [Caldwell] reached out to an official in another executive branch department and suggested the state employee receive a promotion," the report detailed. "…The LG admitted to investigators that he did not disclose the romantic nature of his relationship wit the state employee while making these promotion requests."

Following the release of the report on Thursday, Sherrill called for Caldwell to resign.

Officials respond to Caldwell allegations

What they're saying:

Sherrill addressed the investigation into Caldwell in a press conference on Friday. 

She said that Caldwell's actions "failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office and he demonstrated a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this administration."

New Jersey Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin said that "Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell was right to resign from office today."

"We must ensure the work of governing is uninterrupted and that serving the people of New Jersey remains a top priority," Coughlin said.

State Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco called Caldwell's resignation "an unfortunate but necessary first step to eliminating another distraction in the Sherrill administration," saying that Sherrill's "administration has been mired in chaos from the state and has lacked transparency in its conduct.

Bucco called for the release of all internal records related to the allegations and subsequent investigation.

"There are still serious questions that deserve answers," Bucco said. "When were these allegations first discovered, who in the administration knew and at what time, and how exactly were the allegations handled?"

Who will replace Dale Caldwell?

What's next:

Sherrill said Friday that she would "move swiftly and thoughtfully" to find Caldwell's replacement.

In the meantime, the governor announced that acting State Comptroller Shirley Emehelu will serve as the Acting Secretary of State.

New JerseyPolitics