Dale G. Caldwell is New Jersey's Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, in office since January 20, 2026. A Methodist pastor and educator, he was previously president of Centenary University and served for 26 years on the New Brunswick Board of Education.
Case
Gov. Mikie Sherrill called on Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to resign after an outside law firm's report substantiated a workplace-policy violation and two ethics violations. Caldwell's lawyer disputes the findings and the process, and Republican leaders also urge him to resign.
Role at the time: Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, in a written response to the Chief Ethics Officer
Response to this claim
The accusations in the anonymous complaint, including that he pursued women romantically while conducting official business and that his guests at events raised ethical concerns, are "inaccurate, misleading, and completely false."
“The accusations contained in this complaint are inaccurate, misleading, and completely false. For that reason, I fully welcome a fair, objective, and professional review of these allegations by the attorneys and investigators assigned to this matter because I am confident that the facts will fully clear my name. First, I have never asked anyone out on a date, “hit on,” or pursued anyone romantically while conducting official business as Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State. … The suggestion that these professional and family relationships somehow constitute unethical behavior is completely inaccurate and without merit.”
Relative to the allegations the investigation later addressed, Caldwell explicitly says the accusations are false, that he did not pursue anyone romantically on official business, and that the guests' attendance was not unethical. That is an explicit denial of the alleged conduct. The letter predates the report and does not respond to its specific findings.
Statement dates: May 28, 2026
Statement dates: May 28, 2026
