New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell received a blunt message from Gov. Mikie Sherrill Thursday: resign and never return to Trenton. The message came after an internal investigation found that Mr. Caldwell engaged in sexual harassment and had other inappropriate encounters, including making lewd and crude remarks. The timeline gave him time to do the right thing and tender his resignation today. Caldwell seems determined to fight it, saying race is a factor in these proceedings (via NYT):

New Jersey’s lieutenant governor, Dale G. Caldwell, twice sought to have his girlfriend promoted to a state job, made a sexually charged comment to a staff member and ignored warnings to adjust his behavior, according to a report Gov. Mikie Sherrill released Thursday evening.

Ms. Sherrill called on Dr. Caldwell to resign by Friday, noting that investigators concluded that his behavior constituted sexual harassment and violated state ethics rules.

A lawyer for Dr. Caldwell, however, gave no indication that a resignation was imminent. In written statements, the lawyer, Thomas Calcagni, called the investigation one-sided and said that it “lacked the requisite due process.”

The report’s findings, Mr. Calcagni added, were “palpably deficient and create a dangerous and challenging precedent for anyone who wishes to defend against anonymous conjecture and character assassination.”

The strongly worded rebuttal suggested that a standoff between the governor and her second-in-command was possible, and Ms. Sherrill’s supporters began to speak out in her defense.

“Governor Sherrill is absolutely right,” Senator Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, wrote on X. “The conduct described in the investigative report is totally unacceptable.” He said that Dr. Caldwell should resign “for the sake of our state.”

The 61-page report was the culmination of an inquiry Ms. Sherrill, a Democrat, initiated in May after receiving an anonymous letter that claimed Dr. Caldwell, a former president of Centenary University, had behaved inappropriately toward women. Dr. Caldwell, who is Black, has denied the allegations and suggested that race and gender were at play.

Ms. Sherrill had hired Christopher Porrino, a former New Jersey attorney general who served under former Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican, to lead the inquiry. Mr. Porrino’s report, submitted on Wednesday to the governor, said that Dr. Caldwell’s behavior “constituted sexual harassment and was derogatory or demeaning.”

In one instance, in April 2026, Dr. Caldwell, 66, made a romantic advance toward a female staff member’s friend, investigators found. After being rebuffed, the lieutenant governor told the staff member that ambitious women needed a man who was in a position to help them. “But you young women are looking for young sperm,” he said, according to the report.

Sherrill’s post Thursday night:

Today, I’m announcing the conclusion and findings of an independent investigation into allegations regarding Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell. The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office. I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so. 

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.

These violations substantiated in the investigation reflect a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this Administration. The ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings. The substantiated finding of sexual harassment is extremely troubling. I’ve seen firsthand how a hostile culture can undermine everyone’s ability to succeed. It’s insidious and ruptures the trust within an organization.

Leaders have an obligation to make sure everyone in an organization is bought into the mission and able to succeed. I take that responsibility incredibly seriously. My goal as Governor is to empower our hardworking public servants, so they can remain focused on serving our state.

As a former federal prosecutor, I’m committed to ensuring everyone is treated fairly. This investigation was thorough and impartial. It was initiated by the Chief Ethics Officer and conducted by a respected former state Attorney General.

The investigation fully examined the evidence, followed the facts, and protected everyone’s privacy. In my Administration, we are committed to doing what is right, not what is politically expedient.

The Lieutenant Governor’s resignation is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.

The President continues to undermine confidence in public service at the federal level. In New Jersey, I will not accept a culture that sweeps misconduct under the rug. We have to be better than that — people expect and deserve better.

I have dedicated my life to service. I know that jobs of public trust impact the lives of everyday people, and I deeply respect the oaths and responsibilities of these positions.

I will always put the interests of the people of New Jersey first.

“I will always put the interests of the people of New Jersey first” is a funny thing to say, governor, especially when you let Caldwell serve as acting governor for 18 days after an internal probe into his behavior was underway.