Gov. Mikie Sherrill accepted Dale Caldwell’s resignation Friday after an independent investigation substantiated sexual harassment and two separate ethics violations.

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell has resigned after Gov. Mikie Sherrill called for him to step down following an independent investigation that found sexual harassment and repeated violations of state ethics rules.

Update: Governor Sherrill selects new acting Lt. Governor

“I have named Acting Comptroller Shirley Emehelu to serve as Acting Secretary of State. Shirley is a veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office,” Sherrill said. “She has the judgment to run our elections – and the strength to stand up to Trump’s attacks on voting. I have full faith that Shirley and the team at the Department of State will make sure all eligible New Jerseyans can make their voices heard this November.”

Caldwell has also been on the hotseat as the top official responsible for elections after it was found that 4,400 illegal aliens were registered to vote in New Jersey and hundreds had voted in elections.

Sherrill said Caldwell submitted his resignation Friday afternoon, one day after she publicly released the findings and gave him until the following day to leave office.

“Public service is a privilege, and those entrusted with it must be held to the highest standards — regardless of their title,” Sherrill said in her remarks announcing Caldwell’s resignation.

Some in Trenton are calling the entire thing a hit on the Lt. Governor, to act as a fall guy for the ongoing scandals within the Sherrill administration.

The resignation abruptly removes New Jersey’s second-highest-ranking elected official from the Sherrill administration and puts the governor in the position of choosing a replacement while the state heads toward the November midterm elections.

Investigation substantiated sexual harassment

The independent investigation into Caldwell’s conduct, conducted by former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino and attorney Shontae Gray of Lowenstein Sandler, substantiated a violation of the state’s workplace harassment policy.

According to the report, Caldwell made a romantic advance toward a female staffer’s friend. After learning the woman was not interested, investigators found Caldwell told the staffer that “you young women are looking for young sperm.”

Caldwell denied making the remark. Investigators said they did not find his denial credible, citing the staffer’s consistent account, a photograph she took to document the time and location of the encounter and other evidence reviewed during the investigation.

The report found the comment caused the employee to change how she interacted with Caldwell, distance herself from him and avoid traveling with him when possible.

Investigators concluded the conduct constituted sexual harassment under New Jersey’s workplace policy.

Report also found ethics violations

The investigation went beyond the harassment allegation.

Investigators also substantiated two ethics violations, including Caldwell bringing personal guests to ticketed events without advance ethics approval and without paying or reimbursing the cost of admission. The report said that conduct continued even after Caldwell received ethics training and direct guidance about the rules.

The investigation also found Caldwell advocated for the promotion of a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship without disclosing that relationship while making the requests.

According to the report, Caldwell used his state email account in May to contact an official in another executive branch department and suggest that the employee receive a promotion. Investigators said he acknowledged that he had not disclosed the romantic relationship.

The findings have immediately become a major development in New Jersey politics and inside the still-new Sherrill administration.

Sherrill says Caldwell failed to meet administration standards

Sherrill first called for Caldwell’s resignation Thursday after receiving the investigation.

“The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office — and demonstrated a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this Administration,” Sherrill said Friday.

She called the sexual harassment finding “extremely troubling” when the report was released and said the substantiated conduct reflected repeated violations of state policy despite prior training and warnings.

After accepting Caldwell’s resignation, Sherrill said his departure would allow the administration to move forward.

“I appreciate his service both on the campaign and in the first months of this Administration, particularly in supporting our business agenda,” she said. “His decision will allow us to move forward with the important work of serving the people of our state.”

Sherrill begins search for new lieutenant governor

Sherrill said she plans to move “swiftly and thoughtfully” in choosing a new lieutenant governor.

The resignation also affects Caldwell’s role as secretary of state, an office with responsibility for overseeing New Jersey elections.

Sherrill announced that Acting Comptroller Shirley Emehelu will serve as acting secretary of state as the administration prepares for the November election. She described Emehelu as a veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice and New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.

The upheaval comes during a politically sensitive period for the administration, with voters preparing for federal midterm races and New Jersey elections statewide.

Sherrill closed her remarks by invoking her previous service in the Navy, as a federal prosecutor and in Congress.

“I will uphold the law. I will lead with integrity. And I will always put your interests first,” Sherrill said.

Caldwell’s resignation is effective after Sherrill’s acceptance Friday, ending his tenure only months into the administration and opening another significant chapter in New Jersey state government.