Labor Policy Violations
Inspector General Report Finds Former Labor Secretary Violated Multiple Department Policies
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Investigators said the security official repeatedly released or repositioned other agents so he could be alone with Chavez-DeRemer, sometimes without informing the rest of the detail; the two also stayed at the same hotel while other agents lodged elsewhere.
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The report identified at least 13 personal trips that Chavez-DeRemer combined with official engagements, along with five trips to Las Vegas; some lodging expenses exceeded 300% of the applicable General Services Administration rate.
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During the Oregon stop at a club with partially nude dancers, Chavez-DeRemer allegedly gave cash to a security agent and instructed him to drop bills one by one onto a performer after the agent initially resisted.
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The investigation interviewed 53 current and former Labor Department employees and reviewed hundreds of documents, images and videos, including security footage and travel records.
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Chavez-DeRemer is now a senior adviser at the communications and strategy firm Think Big; the report was released after she resigned in April, and members of her senior staff were subsequently fired, according to the report.
A Labor Department inspector general report found that former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer presided over a "toxic, intimidating and humiliating" workplace and violated multiple federal policies, according to KATU. Investigators documented an inappropriately close relationship with a security official, mixed personal and official travel to use government funds, stored alcohol on federal property, and directed employees to perform personal errands during work hours.
The 44-page report by the Department of Labor's Office of the Inspector General interviewed 53 current and former employees and reviewed hundreds of documents, images and videos, Statesman Journal reported. Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April after the investigation began, and her attorney disputed the findings, saying she violated no laws.
Security Official Allegedly Arranged Private Access
Investigators found that the security official repeatedly repositioned or removed other agents to be alone with Chavez-DeRemer, sometimes without telling the rest of the protective detail, Daily Wire reported. The two also stayed at the same hotel while other agents lodged elsewhere. The report said this arrangement compromised protective coverage and created operational risks.
Personal Trips Blended With Official Business
Chavez-DeRemer combined at least 13 personal trips with official engagements, including five trips to Las Vegas, according to KATU. Some hotel lodging expenses exceeded 300 percent of the allowed General Services Administration rate. The mixing of personal and official travel allowed her to use government funds for private destinations.
Strip Club Visit and Alcohol Violations
During a personal trip to Oregon, Chavez-DeRemer visited a club with partially nude dancers and instructed a security agent to hand cash to a performer, Statesman Journal reported. The agent initially resisted. The report also found that Chavez-DeRemer stored and consumed alcohol on federal property, and employees reported being pressured to drink during work.
Gift and Ethics Policy Violations Found
Investigators documented that Chavez-DeRemer accepted gifts without proper disclosure and directed employees to run personal errands during official work time, Daily Wire reported. The report also found she assigned employees tasks like personal shopping and household work. These violations showed repeated breaches of federal ethics and administrative policies.
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