New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill is calling for Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell to leave office following an independent investigation that concluded he violated state ethics and harassment policies.

Sherrill said Thursday night that Caldwell has until Friday to resign after investigators determined that he committed multiple policy violations.

“Today, I’m announcing the conclusion and findings of an independent investigation into allegations regarding Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell,” Sherrill wrote on X. “The investigation found that the Lieutenant Governor engaged in serious, repeated violations of state policy and failed to uphold the responsibilities of his office. I’m calling for his resignation and giving him until tomorrow to do so.”

The investigation was commissioned after the state announced earlier this month that it had retained a law firm to examine allegations involving Caldwell, a Democrat who won election alongside Sherrill last year. The allegations concerned inappropriate conduct toward women.

Sherrill said Caldwell’s “ethical lapses persisted despite multiple warnings and trainings.”

“The substantiated finding of sexual harassment is extremely troubling. I’ve seen firsthand how a hostile culture can undermine everyone’s ability to succeed. It’s insidious and ruptures the trust within an organization,” she said.

According to Sherrill, investigators conducted a comprehensive review of the allegations and evidence while attempting to protect the privacy of those involved. She said Caldwell’s resignation “is necessary and in the best interest of New Jersey residents.”

Caldwell has rejected the allegations. His attorneys said Thursday evening that they “strongly disputed the three findings in the investigation,” arguing that the report’s conclusions “go further than the evidence supports.”

“This unnecessarily protracted and one-sided process lacked the requisite due process that should be afforded every citizen of this state,” said Thomas Calcagni, a lawyer for Caldwell.

Calcagni also argued that Caldwell was “not provided a meaningful opportunity to address each of these anonymous allegations or offer readily identifiable witnesses who possessed more pertinent, first-hand knowledge of the events in question.”

The investigation produced a 61-page report. Investigators concluded that Caldwell sexually harassed a young female staff member and the woman’s friend. The report also determined that he violated state ethics requirements by using his position to assist a state employee with whom he had a romantic relationship “on multiple occasions” without disclosing that relationship.

Investigators further found that Caldwell violated ethics rules by regularly bringing personal guests to ticketed events without paying for or reimbursing the cost of their tickets.

State Senate Republican Leader Anthony M. Bucco criticized the findings in a statement Thursday, describing them as “deeply disappointing.”

“This situation has gone on for far too long, and if he doesn’t agree to resign, the Legislature should follow the necessary protocols to resolve this matter once and for all,” Bucco said.

Caldwell is just the fourth person to serve as New Jersey’s lieutenant governor, a position created following a 2005 referendum. Among the office’s duties is assuming the governor’s responsibilities when the governor is away from the state.

Caldwell has taken over gubernatorial duties numerous times since the investigation began.

In addition to serving as lieutenant governor, Caldwell is New Jersey’s secretary of state. That position gives him responsibility for overseeing elections, making his role particularly significant as the November midterm elections approach.