Dale Caldwell probe raises bigger questions for Trenton (Opinion)

Something about the treatment of Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell should bother every New Jerseyan, regardless of party.

As then Governor Ronald Reagan famously quipped at a debate with President Carter in 1980, "There you go again."

It's time to apply that to today's Trenton Democrats.

This time, the target is their own number two, Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell.

We have watched allegations become an investigation, an investigation become headlines, and headlines begin to define a man's reputation before the public has even seen evidence establishing wrongdoing.

Now we know considerably more about where this started.

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

How the Caldwell investigation began

According to published reports, the investigation began after an anonymous, three-paragraph letter dated May 6 and signed simply, “A Concerned NJ Resident.”

Caldwell received the accusations later that month and responded in writing to New Jersey’s chief ethics officer.

His response was unequivocal.

Caldwell said he had never asked anyone on a date, hit on anyone or romantically pursued anyone while conducting official business as lieutenant governor and secretary of state.

He called the allegation that he selectively handed business cards to women for inappropriate purposes “categorically untrue.”

Rather than resist scrutiny, Caldwell said he would cooperate fully with a review.

Of course, that alone does not prove every allegation false, but are these really deserving of the term "allegation?"

I mean, come on, he handed out business cards to women?

This is an administration priding itself on "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion." You'd think that the Gov. would be happy if he were selecting women for opportunities.

What a bunch of hypocrites.

The point, of course, is even if he did hand out cards to women asking them to apply for positions in the administration, that is nothing that rises to the level of an "investigation."

What a joke.

You know what is inappropriate behavior? Allowing unions like the AFL-CIO to influence the crushing of the critical small business and gig economy in New Jersey, driving potentially tens of thousands of workers across the river.

That's inappropriate.

Carving out $20 million more dollars to provide legal defense to criminal aliens who don't belong here in the first place is also inappropriate.

Pushing schools to get in between parents and kids, actively lying about 'gender identity,' that's inappropriate behavior.

Forcing medical decisions as a requirement for work and school, that's inappropriate.

Attacking pregnancy resource centers, who are actually helping young moms and babies and shilling for the profiteers at Planned Parenthood, again, inappropriate.

The list goes on. So what's really happening here?

An anonymous accusation certainly doesn't prove someone guilty.

What's interesting is many of these accusations that happen in politics somehow disappear after the person drops out of the race or resigns from office.

We saw this most recently in Maine where back-room Democrats forced Graham Platner out of the Senate race, leaving him little choice but to withdraw.

I am not defending any of his potential actions, but, come on.

I thought the Democrats were about protecting women, why did it all disappear after the political goal was accomplished?

I think they simply did not want another Senator Fetterman to be a thorn in the side of the socialist radicals taking over the Party.

So what's at stake in New Jersey?

Perhaps Mikie Sherrill has her sights set on the national stage and could be leaving office in 2028.

Maybe the elites in the Democratic Party don't want to hitch their prospects for a second term on a guy who is relatively unknown, and maybe actually believes in public service instead of just towing the line for the establishment.

And the distinction between anonymous accusations and provable illegal actions seems to have gotten lost remarkably quickly in Trenton.

Some of the accusations concern Caldwell bringing women as guests to events.

One woman identified publicly as having accompanied him, longtime acquaintance Robin Tyson, told the Wall Street Journal that there was no romantic relationship between them and that Caldwell never offered her employment.

And why is bringing a date to an event 'inappropriate' for a single man, regardless of his job?

Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Witnesses say they weren't contacted

The good news for the LG is people who were actually present at another event cited in the controversy are speaking up.

Felicia Simmons, who helped organize Caldwell’s appearance at the Whitesboro Black History Gala, says she was never contacted by investigators.

She says Caldwell’s attendance was coordinated with his office and State Police and that organizers planned seating for him and accompanying guests.

That matters.

If there is going to be an investigation on somebody, shouldn’t it start by talking to the people who were actually there?

Photo by Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images

Due process should apply to everyone

Governor Mikie Sherrill has said complaints must be taken seriously and that both complainants and accused individuals deserve protection and a full review.

That principle is reasonable, but so is another principle: presumption of innocence matters.

Caldwell is not some anonymous political operative, he is a pastor, educator, former university president and now the lieutenant governor of New Jersey.

His reputation represents decades of his life. That reputation should not be casually destroyed by rumor, innuendo or political maneuvering.

And there is a particular irony here.

The same political culture that routinely lectures the rest of us about fairness, due process and avoiding rushes to judgment should apply those principles when the accused person happens to be one of its own.

Caldwell himself raised an uncomfortable question in his response.

As the first single Black man to serve at this level of New Jersey government, he said he fears false assumptions and accusations may follow him simply because of who he is.

We don't yet know whether that explains what happened here, but his concern deserves to be heard rather than dismissed.

Investigate the allegations if they actually rise to the level of deserving attention, but I am not sure if that's even the case here.

If the investigation moves forward, as it is doing, then interview everybody.

Find the documents, talk to the organizers, witnesses and women who were actually there, then release the relevant findings and let the facts speak.

If evidence establishes misconduct, deal with it.

But if the evidence doesn't support the accusations, the people who allowed an anonymous letter to stain Dale Caldwell's reputation owe him something more than a quiet conclusion buried after months of damaging headlines.

They owe him the same public attention when the facts come out that they gave the accusations when this started, because due process isn't supposed to depend on whether somebody is politically convenient.

Don't forget, these accusers and investigators don't seem to care about you or actual victims.

Alleged victims are often used to accomplish political goals.

Think about Brett Kavanaugh, Clarence Thomas; we've seen these patterns before.

This seems to be as clear as another politically motivated action as we've seen in Trenton.

It's time for a massive change in Trenton government.

We need principled leaders who will stand up for people and communities instead of playing politics with anonymous accusations.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Spadea. Any opinions expressed are Bill's own.

Report a correction 👈

FOLLOW BILL: Join the Bill Spadea's New Jersey channel on our Facebook page.