Sherrill's Lieutenant Governor Under the Microscope

New Jersey's lieutenant governor is under investigation less than eight months into the job. Lt. Governor Dale Caldwell, who also serves as secretary of state, is the subject of an independent probe into allegations of inappropriate behavior toward women and possible ethics violations, including purported offers of state jobs.

Gov. Mikie Sherrill's administration commissioned the inquiry and brought in former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino to run it. Porrino, working alongside former Assistant U.S. Attorney Shontae Gray, has been interviewing state employees and other witnesses; Caldwell is reportedly cooperating.

Senate Republican leader Anthony Bucco called the report "deeply disappointing" and suggested the Friday-before-a-holiday-weekend rollout looked designed to bury it, adding that Caldwell "should temporarily step down from his duties" given the seriousness of the claims.

Sherrill has avoided directly addressing Caldwell. "Because of this respect, I demand that everyone in my administration hold themselves to the highest standards and put their obligations to public service first," she said in a statement, without confirming it referred directly to Caldwell, though a spokesman later told WHYY News it was accurate to say so.

Assemblywoman Katie Brennan, a longtime advocate for survivor protections in state government, has gone further, calling for a "thorough and independent investigation" and announcing plans for legislation strengthening whistleblower protections.

Caldwell, 66, a former Methodist minister and Centenary University president, was Sherrill's out-of-the-box pick for running mate last year. No timeline has been given for when Porrino's inquiry will wrap, leaving Trenton's newest administration with an open ethics cloud just as it settles into its first full legislative session.