A federal watchdog in the United States has released a detailed report alleging widespread misconduct by former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned in April. The 44-page document, published Thursday by the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, paints a picture of an official who blurred the lines between public duty and personal indulgence.
The investigation, based on 500 documents and interviews with 53 current and former employees, found that 38 of them described the secretary's office as a 'toxic, intimidating and humiliating' workplace. Accusations range from using government staff for private errands to drinking alcohol during working hours and developing an 'inappropriate relationship' with a member of her security detail.
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican congresswoman from Oregon, was sworn in on March 11, 2025, and served just over a year. She became the third cabinet secretary to leave the Trump administration, following the departures of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Attorney General Pam Bondi earlier this year.
The report alleges that senior staff, including Chief of Staff Rebecca Wright, 'routinely engaged in threatening, demeaning, and abusive verbal and written communication.' Wright allegedly moved one employee's desk to avoid having a 'fat person' seen in the front office and advised another not to cut her hair too short to avoid looking like a 'lesbian.' Chavez-DeRemer was reportedly aware of these incidents but failed to act.
Investigators found that Chavez-DeRemer directed government employees to perform personal tasks during official time. A personal aide and executive assistant were sent to her residence to organize her closet, hang laundry, and arrange clothing and purses. Another employee, who is Hispanic, was tasked with overseeing workers at her home, including a moving crew. Employees also bought personal items such as gifts, picture frames, holiday decorations, and alcohol.
Witnesses reported that Chavez-DeRemer, Wright, and her deputy chief of staff regularly drank alcohol in the secretary's study during duty hours, pressuring others to join. Department policy requires advance written authorization for alcohol on federal property, but no such approval was found.
The watchdog also focused on Chavez-DeRemer's personal behavior, alleging an 'inappropriately close and unprofessional' relationship with a senior agent on her protective detail. Witnesses saw her massaging the agent's shoulder, golfing and gambling with him, and leaving events arm-in-arm. While evidence was insufficient to prove a sexual relationship, investigators documented conflicts of interest and inappropriate work situations.
In April 2025, during a personal trip to Oregon, Chavez-DeRemer asked her security detail to make an off-the-record stop at a club featuring partially nude dancers. The senior agent involved instructed a limousine driver to comply with her requests to drop money onto a performer. Hotel door lock records and video footage suggested the two spent time overnight in each other's rooms.
The report also uncovered travel policy violations. In November 2025, Chavez-DeRemer and two officials stayed at hotels in Palm Beach, Florida, for an America First Policy Institute gala, with lodging costs approaching or exceeding three times the government reimbursement rate without required approvals.
Additionally, Chavez-DeRemer failed to report gifts, including rodeo tickets, an alligator-hide wallet, and cowboy hats given to her and her husband, violating federal ethics rules. The inspector general recommended structural changes, including removing protective units from the secretary's oversight and conducting independent travel audits.
Since resigning, Chavez-DeRemer has taken a senior adviser position at Think Big, a public affairs firm, where she heads a practice focused on labor and national infrastructure.
Source: www.aljazeera.com