Watchdog Report Says Chavez-DeRemer Oversaw a ‘Toxic’ Workplace

Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer oversaw a “toxic, intimidating and humiliating” workplace and repeatedly violated department policy, according to an released Thursday evening.

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The report contains testimony from dozens of witnesses who say Chavez-DeRemer failed to prevent persistent harassment, regularly drank alcohol on the job and spent federal money on personal travel.

The 44-page report comes several months after Chavez-DeRemer resigned in April following multiple allegations of inappropriate behavior. She was the third Cabinet official under President Donald Trump’s second term to step down and was scheduled to be interviewed by agency Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito’s office when she resigned.

D’Esposito found that Chavez-DeRemer was involved in an “unprofessional relationship” with a member of her security team, but did not “obtain sufficient direct evidence to establish that the relationship was romantic or sexual.”

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Witnesses cited in the report also said she publicly discussed employee performance, pressured employees to drink and sent Labor Department employees to perform tasks at her home, including laundry and organizing her closet.

Chavez-DeRemer has publicly disputed the allegations through an agency spokeswoman but did not immediately return a request for comment from NOTUS.

Following her departure, Chavez-DeRemer launched a Republican-aligned political action committee, the American Workers First PAC.

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