Shirley Emehelu sworn in as New Jersey lieutenant governor

New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill announced her pick for Lieutenant Governor today, tapping Shirley Emma Hallu to fill the position. Former Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell resigned in September after sexual harassment and ethics complaints. New Jersey correspondent Trish Hartman is live in Trenton with details on Emma Hallu's new roles. Trish. Yeah, Sarah, Shirley Amahelu was sworn in with her family by her side today here in Trenton. She will hold both positions as her predecessor did, both lieutenant governor and secretary of state for the state of New Jersey. Now, for Governor Sherrill, this was an important pick after Dale Caldwell resigned a few weeks ago amid those allegations of sexual harassment. So help me God. Thank you. Shirley Emma Hallu was sworn in this morning as New Jersey's second in command. As Lieutenant Governor, I look forward to working alongside Governor Sherrill and these dedicated public servants to make life more affordable, Expand opportunity for all our communities, especially in helping the governor meet the goals of the Black Agenda. Emma Helu, a former federal prosecutor, was serving as state comptroller when Governor Sherrill asked her to step in as Secretary of State just before the election. We were barely a month away from the midterm elections, made even more complicated by the Trump administration's attempts to seize our voter rolls and undermine our elections. The previous lieutenant governor, Dale Cox, Ms. Caldwell resigned in September after an internal investigation detailed allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct. We asked Cheryl about the vetting process this time around. It's always incredibly important to us that we vet people and that we run a government that is not only focused on the people we serve but focused on accountability. Ashley Koning with the Eagleton Center for Public Interest Polling at Rutgers says Emma Hallu is a safe pick. Trying to kind of right the wrong, making sure it is somebody that, you know, Governor Sherrill personally knows, somebody that has been very well vetted, has had a long career when it comes to the law, when it comes to being a watchdog. Now, this is the first time that the state of New Jersey has had two women in its top two leadership positions. And Hallu, a Nigerian-American, is also the first immigrant to hold the position of lieutenant governor in New Jersey. We're live in Trenton, New Jersey. Trish Hartman, Channel 6 Action News. Brian, Sarah. All right. Trish, thank you.