Mikie Sherrill demands NJ lieutenant governor resign after report found improper behavior with women
Por Daniel Han and Joey Fox — POLITICO – TOP Stories
Gov. Mikie Sherrill of New Jersey is calling on her handpicked lieutenant governor to resign after a monthslong, closely guarded internal investigation found he engaged in behavior that “constituted sexual harassment.”
The investigation — first reported on Sept. 4 but commissioned by Gov. Mikie Sherrill more than three months earlier — focused on Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell’s conduct in office. The report found Caldwell engaged in ethics violations, including attempts to promote a romantic partner in a state job — while not disclosing the personal relationship.
Now, Sherrill said he must resign from office by tomorrow, although she has no authority to unilaterally force Caldwell out.
“The Lieutenant Governor’s resignation is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents,” Sherrill said in a statement.
Caldwell has denied claims of misconduct and has told allies recently that he will not resign. Forcing Caldwell out would require impeachment proceedings from the state Legislature because his position is constitutionally protected.
Caldwell’s attorney disputed the report’s findings but did not address questions over whether he would resign.
“The question is not simply whether investigators believed one person over another,” Thomas Calcagni, Caldwell’s attorney, said in a statement. “The question is whether the evidence actually proves that a violation occurred. In our view, the evidence does not support these findings.”
Fonte: POLITICO – TOP Stories
