NJ Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell Resigns After Sexual Harassment Investigation

New Jersey Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell resigned on Friday, September 25, 2026, one day after the Sherrill administration released the results of a state investigation into his conduct. Governor Mikie Sherrill had called for his resignation. According to WHYY and the NJ Monitor, Caldwell complied, and Gov. Sherrill confirmed the departure. The sequence — report released, resignation demanded, resignation submitted — unfolded in less than 24 hours, making it among the fastest conclusions to a high-profile state executive investigation in recent New Jersey political memory.

The investigation produced a 61-page report that found credible evidence of sexual harassment and multiple violations of state ethics rules, according to reporting by WHYY, NBC News, and the NJ Monitor. Among the specific findings described in reports citing the document: investigators found that Caldwell made an inappropriate comment to a female staffer involving young women and the phrase “young sperm.” The report also found that Caldwell had repeatedly attempted to secure a promotion for a state employee with whom he had maintained a romantic relationship. Investigators further noted that members of Caldwell’s own team had repeatedly cautioned him about his behavior — a finding that suggests those closest to him were aware of and concerned by a pattern of conduct that ultimately triggered the formal inquiry.

Caldwell denied wrongdoing. His attorney, Thomas R. Calcagni, told media outlets that the investigation amounted to what he characterized as a targeted campaign to discredit his client’s character. That denial notwithstanding, the speed with which the resignation followed the report’s release — and the directness of Gov. Sherrill’s call for him to step down — left little public ambiguity about how the administration viewed the findings. The Washington Post, WHYY, NBC News, NJ Monitor, and Central Jersey all reported on the resignation and the investigation’s conclusions.

In the immediate aftermath, Shirley Emehelu — who had been serving as acting state comptroller — was named acting Secretary of State, filling the void left by Caldwell’s departure on an interim basis. The Lt. Governor role in New Jersey carries significant weight: under state law, the Lt. Governor simultaneously serves as Secretary of State, and stands as first in the line of succession to the governorship. Caldwell’s exit leaves both functions vacant at the elected level, though the interim appointment of Emehelu addresses the Secretary of State responsibilities in the near term.

Under New Jersey’s constitution, the governor holds the authority to appoint a new Lt. Governor, though the mechanics of a mid-term appointment of this kind are uncommon and will draw close attention from political observers in both parties. Governor Sherrill has not yet publicly named a replacement as of Saturday morning. The Gazette will continue to track developments as the Sherrill administration navigates the succession and any further fallout from the investigation report. This remains the largest state political story out of Trenton this week, and its implications — for the administration’s credibility, for the Lt. Governor’s future in state politics, and for the staff members who were the subjects of the conduct described in the report — will continue to unfold in the days ahead.

Reporting based on the Washington Post, WHYY, NBC News, NJ Monitor, and Central Jersey, September 25–26, 2026.