New Jersey Lt. Gov. Dale Caldwell is expected to resign Friday, nine months into his term, after an internal investigation found he made a sexually charged remark to a staff member and committed ethics violations. Gov. Mikie Sherrill was expected to announce Caldwell’s departure at a Friday afternoon news conference. Two Democrats familiar with Caldwell’s plans said he intended to resign. They spoke anonymously because the governor had not yet made the announcement. The investigation’s findings were released Thursday. Caldwell initially rejected Sherrill’s demand that he step down, saying the report drew sweeping conclusions from limited evidence. His lawyer described the inquiry as “unnecessarily protracted and one-sided.” Sherrill could not remove Caldwell on her own. Forcing him from office would have required impeachment proceedings, a lengthy process that would depend on action by the state Legislature. Caldwell also faced growing political pressure: Democratic U.S. Sens. Andy Kim and Cory Booker joined Sherrill in calling for his resignation after the findings became public. Sherrill will choose Caldwell’s successor, who will not need approval from the state Senate. The change in leadership comes as the governor’s administration faces scrutiny over its handling of the allegations and the investigation.