New Jersey Gov Mikie Sherrill calls on lieutenant governor to resign after sexual harassment investigation

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill is calling for Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell's ouster, giving him until Friday to step down after an outside probe substantiated sexual harassment along with two ethics violations. Sherrill called the harassment finding "extremely troubling" and said Caldwell's resignation "is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.", according to Fox News · The Washington Post.

Investigators found that Caldwell made an explicit comment to a female staffer, telling her that young women were looking for "young sperm" after she mentioned that a friend of hers had turned down his romantic interest. The panel rejected as not believable his claim that he never said it, and the employee later kept her distance from him at work, avoiding travel with him when she could. Separately, the inquiry substantiated two ethics breaches: Caldwell repeatedly invited personal guests to events requiring tickets, skipping the required ethics sign-off and never covering their cost, and did so again just a day after being formally informed of the probe despite earlier warnings about the practice. He was also found to have pushed for a job promotion for a woman he was dating without revealing the relationship, using his government email to call her "my friend" while forwarding her resume and letter of interest.

Caldwell has denied any wrongdoing, telling investigators in May that the allegations were false and misleading, and insisting he never pursued or asked out women in the course of his official duties.

Summarized by PolitiKool from Fox News · The Washington Post’s reporting. Read the full story at Fox News · The Washington Post →