Gov. Sherrill should address claims facing her lieutenant governor

Gov. Mikie Sherrill should end her silence now over the allegations facing her lieutenant governor and secretary of state, Dale Caldwell.

It’s been two days since the New Jersey Globe reported that Sherrill’s administration is investigating allegations of “inappropriate behavior” regarding Caldwell and we have nothing but coy statements from the governor’s office saying they can neither confirm nor deny an internal probe.

Sherrill, a Democrat who took office in January promising to change the culture of Trenton, may have some legal basis for keeping quiet as an outside attorney examines whether Caldwell did something wrong. But Caldwell isn’t just any state worker; he’s the No. 2 in command at the Statehouse, acts as governor when Sherrill is away, and is the guy in charge of overseeing our elections in the run-up to November’s midterms. The public deserves to hear from the governor on this.

The administration may have thought it could keep a lid on the allegations, which the New Jersey Globe, citing unnamed sources, reports include “inappropriate behavior with women and possible ethics violations that include the purported offer of state jobs.” We don’t know whether he’s accused of sending crass emails to subordinates or something far worse. The drip-drip of vague and anonymously sourced allegations is only going to get worse, with the public in the dark about whether those leaking to reporters are providing good intel or not.

Micah Rasmussen, director of Rider University’s Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics, told me that Sherrill’s silence “speaks volumes,” whether she intends it to or not.

“It’s the not knowing that leaves things completely up in the air and your mind is left to the imagination,” Rasmussen said. “You go to the extremes, and it’s not helpful to anybody to not know what the facts are, but that’s where we are.”

New Jersey Republicans have understandably jumped on this to ding Sherrill, with the party’s state chair, Christine Giordano Hanlon, calling on Caldwell to resign immediately. Assemblywoman Vicky Flynn (R-Monmouth) told me Sherrill should at least address why Caldwell isn’t taking time off. He was acting governor less than two weeks ago when Sherrill was out of state.

“She needs to explain why he’s not on administrative leave. Is it because these claims are frivolous? She should say something like that,” Flynn said.

Binje reported Friday that the investigation into Caldwell has been going on for months. Homicide investigations have opened and closed in less time.

Flynn said she feels bad that the governor is in a position where her lieutenant governor is under investigation and she feels like she can’t say something.

“She really has that strong female leadership capacity. I like that. But if it is true the investigation’s been going on for months and we still don’t have a resolution, doesn’t that reflect what happens in the old boys’ club?” Flynn said.

Continued radio silence on the claims facing Caldwell is unacceptable.