Caldwell scandal more serious than Sherrill lets on
🔎 Gov. Mikie Sherrill still will not confirm or deny an investigation involving Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell.
⚖️ Caldwell has denied allegations raised in an anonymous complaint, while an outside law firm has been examining the claims.
🏛️ Questions remain about Caldwell's duties — including assuming the powers of governor when Sherrill leaves New Jersey.
Gov. Mikie Sherrill is sticking to the script when it comes to questions surrounding Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell, but there are indications this is a far more serious scandal than Sherrill is letting on.
Asked again Wednesday about reports of an outside investigation into allegations involving Caldwell, Sherrill would not even confirm that an investigation is underway. She also refused to mention Caldwell by name.
"I'm not going to confirm or deny whether there's an ongoing investigation," Sherrill said during a visit to a pizzeria in Woodbridge, according to NJ.com.
"But what I can commit to people is that any complaints are taken very seriously, and certainly anyone who has a complaint lodged against them, their rights are protected and they have a full airing and a full review."
Investigation into Dale Caldwell raises new questions
Multiple news organizations have reported that former New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino and his law firm were retained by the Sherrill administration to investigate allegations involving Caldwell.
The New York Times reported Wednesday that the inquiry began after an anonymous complaint in May alleging Caldwell brought "uninvited female guests" to events and accepted free admission for them.
Caldwell has strongly denied the allegations, calling the complaint "inaccurate, misleading and completely false." He also said one of the women referenced in the complaint was his daughter.
The Times reports a final report from the outside investigation is expected to reach Sherrill in the coming days.
Caldwell pushes back hard
New Jersey Globe is reporting that Caldwell has retained former Attorney General Peter Harvey to defend against the allegations.
Harvey is a high profile litigater. In addition to his time as Attorney General, Harvey is a former federal prosecutor and court-appointed federal monitor who oversaw the Newark Police Department for nine years. As a private practice attorney, Harvey has had many high profile clients including the NFL.
The fact that Harvey is advising Caldwell also signals this may be a bigger scandal than Gov. Sherrill has revealed.
The Globe says it has obtained a series of text messages from Caldwell to a friend. In one of the exchanges, Caldwell accused Sherrill and her office of hiring a law firm to discredit him.
Is the Caldwell investigation still underway?
That makes Sherrill's refusal to confirm the status of the investigation increasingly significant.
If the investigation has concluded, what did investigators find? Will those findings be released publicly? If it remains underway, are there any restrictions or "guardrails" governing Caldwell's official duties?
Sherrill did not answer questions Wednesday about any potential limits on Caldwell's activities.
What happens when Sherrill leaves New Jersey?
The question carries additional weight because Caldwell isn't simply another member of Sherrill's administration.
He is New Jersey's lieutenant governor and secretary of state. When Sherrill travels outside New Jersey, Caldwell assumes the powers of acting governor.
He has already done so several times since the complaint was filed, according to The New York Times.
Sherrill has said anyone who files a complaint deserves protection and anyone accused deserves a fair review. She has also pledged to act quickly "if the evidence warrants."
What New Jersey still doesn't know is when that review will be finished — or what the public will be told when it is.
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