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New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell — Gov. Mikie Sherrill’s handpicked number two she once lauded as a “voice for the voiceless” — has resigned his post under the weight of a growing sexual harassment scandal that led to his boss calling for his ouster.
“I’m not resigning because of the report,” Dr. Caldwell told the New York Times. “It’s false. I’m resigning because I don’t want to be a distraction to the administration.”
“I’m supportive of the Sherrill administration,” he added. “I want her to be as successful as possible.”
Sherrill formally called for Caldwell’s resignation in a statement Thursday night, the same day an explosive 61-page ethics report detailing his creepy conduct was released, and gave him 24 hours to step down.
“I hold everyone in my Administration to the highest ethical standard. We all have a duty to follow our state ethics and harassment policy and our Code of Conduct. Anyone who violates these will be held accountable.”
Caldwell’s shocking fall from grace stands in stark contrast to the high praise Sherrill heaped upon him during her run for governor.
In July 2025, Sherrill called him a “voice for the voiceless,” and someone who is “committed to New Jersey” when she tapped him to be her running mate against Republican Jack Ciattarelli.
“I’m proud to select Dale Caldwell as my Lieutenant Governor running mate because we share a commitment to public service and challenging the status quo,” Sherrill said at the time, lauding him for marching in Selma, Ala. with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The voluminous report, based on a probe led by former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino, highlights egregious examples of Caldwell abusing his position including scoring pricey tickets for romantic conquests, securing his girlfriend a cushy state promotion and tasking his aides with finding him a “first lady.”
One of the worst accusations featured in the report occurred in April, when Caldwell, 66, hit on a staffer’s much-younger friend at an official event, then threw a tantrum in the back of his state vehicle after his advances were rejected, allegedly telling the aide, “you young women are looking for young sperm.”
Caldwell’s attorney, Thomas Calcagni, denied that his client made the stomach-churning comment.
Caldwell, who is divorced, allegedly tasked a staffer with finding him a “first lady,” and when she said no, he became “pushy” on the subject, the report said.
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