New Jersey's lieutenant governor reportedly subject of investigation
By: Katie Sobko
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
..... Less than a year into office, a senior member of he Sherrill administration is being investigated for allegations of inappropriate behavior, according to reports.
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An internal investigation into lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell for alleged inappropriate behavior with women and possible ethics violations that include the purported offer of state jibs started last month, [08/2026] according to the New Jersey globe. The Globe said former sate Attorney General Christopher Porrino was hired to conduct the investigation.
..... Sean Higgins, a spokesperson for Governor Mikie Sherrill, said in a statement that the administration "cannot" confirm or deny potential personnel matters."
..... "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," he said.
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In addition to serving as lieutenant governor, which means Caldwell is in charge of day-to-day state operations as acting governor when Sherrill is out of state, he is also secretary of state.
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Prior to his election, Caldwell served as president of Centenary University and is a Methodist minister.
..... State Senator Tony Bucco, a Morris County Republican, took to social media after the news broke and called for Caldwell to "temporarily step down."
..... "The reproved allegations against Lieutenant Governor Caldwell are deeply concerning and disappointing. Our elected officials must hold themselves to the highest possible standards of conduct, character, and integrity," he said in a series of posts. "The public deserves transparency and timely information about matters of this magnitude. there are legitimate questions about why this informality was not disclosed sooner and why we are just learning about this late on Friday [09/04/2026] heading into a holiday weekend."