Caldwell calls the investigation's report "specious" and says he is not resigning because of it

Dale CaldwellFormer New Jersey lieutenant governor, speaking to reporters outside his home

A day after resigning as New Jersey's lieutenant governor, Dale Caldwell said the independent investigation's report was "specious" and contained "wrong things and mistakes," and said he was not resigning because of the report but to avoid distracting from Gov. Sherrill's administration. His attorney said counsel would continue to challenge the report's findings and was exploring legal remedies.

“The report, I think, was just specious. There are all sorts of wrong things and mistakes. I'm not resigning because of that ridiculous report. I'm resigning because I don't want to be a distraction to the Mikie Sherrill administration.”

Reporting

Open source (opens in a new tab)CBS New York: Former N.J. lieutenant governor Dale Caldwell addresses his resignationParagraphs quoting Caldwell speaking outside his home in New Brunswick
Editorial composite of Dale Caldwell beside the cover of the September 23, 2026, investigation report concerning him.
Credit: Office of the Governor-Elect / Tim Larsen; Lowenstein Sandler LLP; composite by The Dispute Index

Where this statement fits

Should Dale Caldwell resign as New Jersey's lieutenant governor after the investigation's findings?

On September 24, 2026, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill released a 61-page report, with exhibits, by the law firm Lowenstein Sandler LLP and called on Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to resign by the next day. The firm, engaged by the Governor's Chief Ethics Officer after an anonymous complaint dated May 6, found that Caldwell made a comment to a female staffer that constituted sexual harassment under the state workplace policy, and that he violated state ethics rules by bringing personal guests to ticketed events without payment and by seeking a promotion for a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship. Caldwell, through his lawyer Thomas Calcagni, disputes all three findings, denies making the comment, and says the process was one-sided and lacked due process; in a May 28 letter he called the complaint's accusations false. Republican leaders called for him to resign or step down before the report was released. The Associated Press reports that the Governor cannot fire a lieutenant governor and that the Legislature can impeach and remove one. The statement issued for Caldwell on September 24 did not say whether he would resign. On September 25, Sherrill announced that Caldwell had resigned, The Philadelphia Inquirer and ABC News report. In a statement on his resignation, Caldwell said it should not be read as an admission of wrongdoing and that he strongly disputes the report; his lawyer said counsel would continue to challenge it.

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Source and context

Reporting

CBS New York: Former N.J. lieutenant governor Dale Caldwell addresses his resignation (opens in a new tab)Paragraphs quoting Caldwell speaking outside his home in New Brunswick

About this source

CBS New York's report on Dale Caldwell's first public remarks, made Saturday, September 26, the day after he resigned as New Jersey's lieutenant governor. It also quotes his attorney, Thomas Calcagni, saying counsel will continue to challenge the investigation's findings and is "fully exploring all legal remedies."

Archived copy (opens in a new tab)

Before the quotation

Sherrill called for Caldwell's resignation on Thursday, September 24, after the investigation's report was released; he submitted his resignation Friday afternoon.

After the quotation

Sherrill has 45 days to name a new lieutenant governor; acting State Comptroller Shirley Emehelu is serving as acting secretary of state in the interim.

How this statement is classified

Denied

The label describes this statement's response within the context above.

Why this label?

Relative to the investigation's findings, which led Sherrill to call for his resignation, Caldwell calls the report specious and mistaken, an explicit denial of its validity, consistent with his earlier denial of the underlying allegations. He resigned, but says the report itself is not the reason, so the denial stands apart from the resignation.

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Watson Coleman and ten other Black New Jersey leaders commend Caldwell for stepping down and respect Sherrill's decision

Bonnie Watson Coleman

“We commend and appreciate Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell for making what we know could not have been an easy decision By choosing to step down and ending this controversy, he has put the interests of the people of New Jersey and the work of our state ahead of himself We also respect the difficult decision Governor Sherrill made Public service comes with an extraordinary responsibility to maintain the trust of the people we are privileged to serve. Accountability matters, and when difficult circumstances arise, leadership sometimes requires making difficult decisions”
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Cite this record

Publisher
The Dispute Index
Title
Caldwell calls the investigation's report "specious" and says he is not resigning because of it
First published
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https://disputeindex.com/events/3078-a-day-after-resigning-as-new-jersey-s

Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.

The Dispute Index. "Caldwell calls the investigation's report "specious" and says he is not resigning because of it". First published: 2026-09-28. Last updated: 2026-09-28. https://disputeindex.com/events/3078-a-day-after-resigning-as-new-jersey-s