Democrat New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell resigned on Friday.
Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill had hand-picked Caldwell for the job, but then ended up calling for him to resign after an investigation into allegations came out earlier this week .
"The investigation found that the lieutenant governor failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office, and he demonstrated a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this administration," Sherrill said during a news conference in Trenton. "The report documents serious, repeated violations of state policy, including ethical lapses and a substantiated finding of sexual harassment.
"I gave the lieutenant governor until today to resign. He submitted his resignation to me this afternoon, which I accepted."
The report, released Thursday, alleged instances of ethics violations and sexual harassment, including seeking a promotion for a state employee he was dating and making an inappropriate comment to a female staffer.
Sherrill claimed, "The ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings."
Caldwell's attorney is disputing the allegations. Caldwell himself also issued a statement.
"I have made the difficult decision to resign because I do not want this matter to distract from the important work of the administration or the responsibility to the people of New Jersey," he said. "I want Governor Mikie Sherrill and her administration to have every opportunity to succeed."
He added, "My resignation should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing or acceptance of the report's findings. I strongly dispute the report, which I believe is inaccurate and cites violations that are unsubstantiated. I will continue to defend my name, my character and the truth. I entered public service to serve, not to become the story. At this moment, I believe stepping aside is the best way to put the people of New Jersey and the work of their government first."
In another twist to the story, Caldwell was also the NJ Secretary of State, so he is the guy who ultimately had oversight over the elections, which are fast approaching.
On Friday, Gov. Sherrill also appointed Shirley Emehelu, currently the acting state comptroller, to serve as interim Secretary of State to replace Caldwell.