(Corrects penultimate bullet point to say Emehelu named acting secretary of state, not acting lieutenant governor)
Sept 25 (Reuters) – New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill said on Friday that her lieutenant governor, Dale Caldwell, had resigned after an independent investigation found that he had behaved inappropriately with women and committed other ethical violations.
Sherrill had called on Thursday for Caldwell to resign.
Both are Democrats.
Caldwell’s attorney, Thomas Calcagni, said in an emailed statement that “we continue to forcefully challenge the report” and that they were exploring “legal remedies” to “ensure a true, balanced, and unbiased record.”
• The investigation released on Wednesday says that Caldwell, a Methodist pastor, made sexually offensive remarks to female staff members, including telling one, after his advances on a friend of the staffer’s were rebuffed, that “you young women are looking for young sperm”
• The report says Caldwell denied making that comment, but investigators “did not find his denial credible”
• The report states that Caldwell also tried on multiple occasions to secure a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship
• He was also accused of bringing personal guests to ticketed events and not paying for their entry
• Sherrill named Shirley Emehelu, the state’s acting comptroller, to be the acting secretary of state, a post Caldwell also held and now vacates.
• The governor said she would decide within 45 days on a permanent lieutenant governor replacement
(Reporting by Brad Brooks in Colorado; Editing by Donna Bryson and Mark Porter)
