"🚨 PARTY CIVIL WAR: TOP DEMOCRAT TURNS ON THEIR OWN AND DEMANDS AN IMMEDIATE RESIGNATION!"
New Jersey Democratic Gov. Mikie Sherrill is calling on her hand-picked lieutenant governor to resign after an independent investigation concluded that he sexually harassed a woman and repeatedly violated state ethics rules.
Sherrill announced Thursday evening that Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell should leave office by Friday following the release of a 61-page report examining allegations involving his treatment of women, efforts to help a romantic partner secure a promotion and his acceptance of benefits connected to ticketed events.
“The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office,” Sherrill said. “I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so.”
Sherrill said the substantiated violations demonstrated “a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this Administration.”
The governor’s office hired former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino and his law firm, Lowenstein Sandler, to conduct the investigation after receiving an anonymous complaint concerning Caldwell in May.
Investigators interviewed at least 17 people and reviewed emails, text messages and other records before issuing their findings.
Among the most serious allegations involved an encounter in April.
According to the report, Caldwell made a romantic advance toward the friend of a female staff member. After the woman rejected him, investigators concluded that Caldwell made an inappropriate sexual remark to the staffer about younger women.
The report concluded that Caldwell’s behavior violated New Jersey’s policy prohibiting discrimination in the workplace.
Caldwell has denied making the remark.
His attorney, Thomas Calcagni, disputed the investigation’s conclusions and noted that a state trooper who was nearby said he did not hear the alleged exchange.
“The question is not simply whether investigators believed one person over another,” Calcagni said. “The question is whether the evidence actually proves that a violation occurred. In our view, the evidence does not support these findings.”
Calcagni said Caldwell believes a complete examination of the evidence will show that the report’s conclusions “go far beyond what the evidence establishes.”
Investigators also concluded that Caldwell violated state ethics rules by twice seeking a promotion for a state employee with whom he was romantically involved without initially disclosing their relationship.
According to the report, Caldwell first emailed officials about promoting the woman and later made another verbal request on her behalf.
The second attempt came after Caldwell had already been warned about the potential ethical problem, investigators said.
The employee did not ultimately receive the promotion and has since left state government.
Caldwell told investigators that he routinely forwarded resumes from people seeking employment and did not order anyone to hire or promote his romantic partner.
His attorney similarly argued that forwarding the resume of a qualified applicant was different from using public office to force officials to provide someone with a financial benefit.
“The report cites no evidence indicating that Dr. Caldwell ordered anyone to promote her, or controlled the hiring decision or demanded that she receive a new position,” Calcagni said.
The investigation identified another ethics issue involving Caldwell bringing personal guests to seven ticketed events without paying for their admission or obtaining the required ethics approval.
Investigators said that behavior continued despite warnings and repeated workplace and ethics training.
The report said Caldwell had undergone six workplace and ethics training sessions.
Sherrill said the repeated nature of the findings left her with no choice but to demand his departure.
“I hold everyone in my Administration to the highest ethical standard,” she said. “We all have a duty to follow our state ethics and harassment policy and our Code of Conduct. Anyone who violates these will be held accountable.”
Sherrill selected Caldwell as her running mate during the 2025 gubernatorial campaign, and the pair took office in January.
Caldwell, 66, previously served as president of Centenary University and is the son of the Rev. Gilbert Caldwell, a prominent civil rights activist.
The controversy presents an unusual political problem for Sherrill because Caldwell is not an ordinary member of her administration whom she can simply dismiss.
Caldwell was elected lieutenant governor alongside Sherrill in November 2025 and therefore holds an independently elected constitutional office.
Under New Jersey law, Caldwell would have to resign voluntarily or potentially face impeachment proceedings. Removing him through impeachment would ultimately require a two-thirds vote in the state Senate.
"🚨 BRANSON'S SCATHING ATTACK! — HE BLASTS TRUMP OVER PUTIN TIES AND URGES EUROPE TO STAND FIRM!"
British billionaire Sir Richard Branson has launched a fierce public attack on Donald Trump, accusing the U.S. administration of appeasing dictators and putting personal preferences ahead of American and allied interests.
The Virgin Group founder made his criticism in a LinkedIn post published this week, questioning why Trump appeared so willing to accommodate Russian President Vladimir Putin while Ukraine continues to face Russia’s invasion.
Branson described the administration as an “appeaser to autocrats and dictators,” arguing that its approach could weaken confidence among America’s traditional allies and undermine the interests of democratic nations.
He also raised a pointed question about the president’s relationship with Putin, asking why Trump seemed to flatter the Russian leader despite the continuing war and widespread international concern over Moscow’s actions.
The remarks come amid renewed controversy over a reported agreement involving Russian diesel supplies and a temporary easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian energy exports.
Trump has defended the arrangement as beneficial to fuel markets, while critics argue that allowing Russian energy revenues to flow could indirectly help Moscow sustain its war effort.
Branson called the deal deeply hypocritical, pointing to the contrast between Washington’s previous willingness to penalize countries purchasing Russian energy and its own decision to ease restrictions.
His criticism extended beyond energy policy. He also condemned Trump’s public attacks on Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, describing the administration’s treatment of Ukraine as a betrayal during a period of war and suffering.
The billionaire’s intervention follows mounting concern in Kyiv and across Europe about the durability of American support for Ukraine, particularly as diplomatic efforts have struggled to produce a lasting settlement.
Branson also expressed alarm about reports involving restrictions on Starshield services used by Ukraine, a technology issue that has raised questions about the country’s access to crucial battlefield communications.
Some of Branson’s claims about the consequences of satellite-service restrictions have not been independently confirmed, and the details of decisions involving military communications remain disputed.
He urged European leaders to respond more decisively, arguing that the continent cannot simply wait for Washington to determine the future of Ukraine’s security and its broader relationship with Russia.
His proposed response reportedly included considering the use of frozen Russian assets to support Ukraine and supplying more advanced weapons, measures that would intensify the confrontation with Moscow.
The comments place Branson among a relatively small group of prominent business leaders willing to criticize Trump directly over foreign policy, despite the political and commercial sensitivities surrounding such interventions.
Branson has previously spoken out in support of Ukraine and criticized approaches that he believes would pressure Kyiv into accepting an unfavorable peace agreement with Russia.
The latest dispute also comes at a politically sensitive moment in the United States, with congressional midterm elections approaching and foreign policy increasingly intertwined with domestic debates over leadership and national priorities.
Supporters of Trump’s approach may argue that direct engagement with Moscow and energy-market flexibility can serve American interests, even when such policies provoke disagreement among allies.
Critics counter that concessions to Russia risk weakening deterrence and sending an unsettling message to countries relying on the United States for diplomatic, economic and military support.
The disagreement reflects a broader debate over whether negotiations and economic pragmatism can help end the war—or whether they could give Moscow additional leverage without securing meaningful concessions.
For Ukraine, the stakes remain immediate: continued military pressure, uncertainty over international support and the search for a settlement that preserves its sovereignty remain central concerns.
Branson’s intervention adds another prominent voice to the dispute, challenging the White House’s handling of Russia and demanding a stronger response from Europe as the conflict continues.
