New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill has set an ethical example for a corrupt era | Editorial

In announcing the resignation of New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell last week amid allegations of harassment and ethics violations, Gov. Mikie Sherrill said an independent investigation had found “a pattern of behavior that does not meet the standards of this administration.”

In a state where official misconduct has often been not just tolerated but embraced — and at a time when our national government is making workaday New Jersey corruption look quaint — Sherrill responded swiftly, fairly, and decisively to the accusations against the lieutenant governor, who doubled as the state’s chief elections official.

The governor’s decision was particularly principled given that Caldwell is not only a fellow Democrat, but also the running mate she chose just last year. Demanding his exit after just eight months of service effectively required Sherrill to acknowledge she had made a poor choice.

Accepting mistakes, embracing accountability, and moving forward are qualities voters should expect from all elected officials.

» READ MORE: The Art of the Steal: How Donald Trump has been lining his pockets | Editorial Series

An investigation led by former state Attorney General Christopher Porrino, who was hired by the administration’s chief ethics officer to look into anonymous complaints about the lieutenant governor, found several of the accusations credible.

Among the most troubling was that after Caldwell unsuccessfully propositioned a friend of an employee, he complained to the employee that young women like her and her friend were “looking for young sperm.” The investigation also substantiated that Caldwell pushed for the promotion of a sometime romantic partner in another state department without disclosing their relationship. And it found he had a habit of taking nonpaying personal guests to ticketed functions he attended in his official capacity.

Porrino’s report noted that all this conduct was in violation of state policies Caldwell had been informed of in training sessions to no apparent avail.

Granted, this wasn’t a question of throttling interstate travel for political reasons or inventing a state job for a paramour, to name a couple of the Garden State’s more infamous gubernatorial scandals — let alone anything approaching the brazen, unprecedented corruption that has characterized President Donald Trump’s second term. But Caldwell’s alleged behavior would and should constitute a firing offense in any number of more obscure private-sector jobs. The standard for public officials should be higher, not lower.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia shouldn’t give up on the Academy of Natural Sciences’ historic museum | Editorial

Caldwell, who continues to deny the allegations, deserves credit for stepping down and allowing the administration to move on nevertheless. His resignation allowed the governor to immediately appoint a new secretary of state whose full attention can be devoted to the role, which is especially crucial considering the approaching midterm election and the Trump administration’s efforts to interfere with it. Sherrill said she would select a new lieutenant governor within 45 days.

The governor’s handling of the matter has certainly not been flawless. Especially given published reports of the allegations and Caldwell’s service as acting governor during Sherrill’s out-of-state travels, she should have been quicker to disclose the existence and general nature of the investigation. She could have done so while reserving judgment and without discussing unsubstantiated allegations in detail.

That being said, the outcome is more important and encouraging. As Sherrill noted, “There has been a culture in Trenton, probably since the birth of our nation, to sweep this under the rug.”

The governor is to be commended for a stark departure from that history.