New Jersey Democratic Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell is facing scrutiny over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards women and possible ethics violations, less than eight months after taking office.
Reports by the New Jersey Globe, The New York Times and NJ.com said Caldwell is the subject of an internal investigation, with Governor Mikie Sherrill’s administration reportedly hiring an external law firm to conduct the probe.
New Jersey Republican Party Chairwoman Christine Giordano Hanlon said the reports raised questions about the number of complaints made against the lieutenant governor and called for greater transparency from the administration.
“We want to know how many people made complaints because it appears in the report that there was more than one,” Giordano Hanlon said.
Senate Republican Leader Anthony Bucco described the allegations as deeply troubling and urged Caldwell to temporarily step aside while the investigation is ongoing.
Giordano Hanlon also described the situation as shocking and disappointing, demanding answers from Sherrill’s administration about when officials became aware of the allegations and why the matter had not been made public.
“We want to know who knew what and when, why this has been shielded from the public, when there’s going to be a resolution,” she said.
Caldwell, 66, also serves as New Jersey’s secretary of state, a position that puts him in charge of overseeing elections. He recently served as acting governor for several days while Sherrill was away.
Giordano Hanlon said Caldwell should be placed on leave until the investigation determines whether the allegations have merit.
“The fact this was going on for months really makes you think that these are very serious allegations, and he should not have been serving in any of these roles while this has been going on,” she said.
A spokesperson for Sherrill declined to comment specifically on the reported investigation but said the governor takes allegations of misconduct seriously.
“The Governor would take any reports of inappropriate behavior or misconduct extremely seriously and expects our public officials to hold themselves to the highest standards. We cannot confirm or deny potential personnel matters,” the spokesperson said.
There is currently no indication of when the investigation will be concluded, leaving the timeline for a resolution uncertain.
