Dale Caldwell is trying to clear his name. This won’t help

🔴 Former Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has been suspended from his duties as pastor of a Plainfield church while a complaint against him is reviewed.

⛪ The church complaint stems from concerns raised in the state investigation that led to Caldwell’s resignation as lieutenant governor.

⚖️ Caldwell insists he was treated unfairly and suggests people wanted him out, but has not publicly identified who was targeting him or provided evidence of a setup.

Former New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has launched an aggressive campaign to clear his name after being forced from office.

A new development involving his church could make that effort more difficult.

Caldwell has been suspended from his pastoral duties at Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield while the United Methodist Church reviews a complaint involving him.

Dale Caldwell suspended from church duties

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi of the Eastern Pennsylvania and Greater New Jersey Episcopal Area confirmed Caldwell’s suspension after initially announcing that a complaint had been received and was being handled under church procedures.

“Because we hold clergy to a high standard, we take the allegations made in the report seriously,” Moore-Koikoi said in a statement reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Former Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell has been suspended from his duties as pastor Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield while a complaint against him is reviewed. (Getty images/Google maps/TSQ illustration)

The bishop said the complaint was filed after publication of the state investigative report and that Caldwell was suspended to protect the well-being of Caldwell, the congregation and others involved while the complaint is processed.

Caldwell says there are no new allegations of misconduct against him.

He told The Inquirer the church was essentially reviewing the same allegations contained in the state report, calling the process “a piling on.”

Caldwell fights report that forced his resignation

The church action comes as Caldwell has been making a series of public appearances and statements challenging the investigation that led Gov. Mikie Sherrill to demand his resignation.

The 61-page report prepared by former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino and attorneys at Lowenstein Sandler substantiated allegations of sexual harassment and ethics violations.

Caldwell vigorously denies the most serious allegations and has raised multiple questions about how the investigation was conducted.

Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield (Google maps)

He argues investigators relied too heavily on the account of one female staffer and ignored evidence he believes supports his version of events.

“There is no credible evidence of sexual harassment in the report,” Caldwell said in a detailed rebuttal obtained by the New Jersey Globe.

Caldwell suggests someone wanted him gone

In an interview with CBS News New York, Caldwell went even further.

“For some reason, people wanted me out,” Caldwell said. “Politics is a nasty game.”

When CBS reporter Christine Sloan pressed him on why anyone would want to target him, Caldwell offered no specific explanation.

“I can’t speak — that’s on them,” he said.

That remains a significant unanswered question as Caldwell attempts to rehabilitate his reputation.

Covenant United Methodist Church in Plainfield (Google maps)

He has suggested he was unfairly targeted, questioned the motives behind the investigation and raised the possibility of legal action.

But Caldwell refuses to publicly identify who he believes wanted him removed or what their motivation may have been.  He has also not produced evidence demonstrating that the investigation was part of a coordinated effort to force him from office.

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