According to a report from the Department of Labor’s Office of the Inspector General, former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is alleged to have had an inappropriate relationship with her bodyguard, contributing to a hostile work environment for her staff. The report details an incident where she supposedly directed a security detail member to throw cash at a stripper.
Chavez-DeRemer, who left her position in April, had been under investigation since January following an anonymous complaint. This complaint suggested a questionable relationship with the unnamed Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge of the Division of Protective Operations.
The allegations were more troubling than just the relationship. They included claims that Chavez-DeRemer, alongside her chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy chief of staff Rebecca Wright, fostered a toxic workplace. Employees reportedly felt intimidated, and the three were said to have consumed alcohol on DOL property during work hours.
The OIG’s investigation included interviews with 38 witnesses who characterized the work environment as “toxic, intimidating, and humiliating.” Staff reported that performance-related discussions were held openly in front of other employees, including personal details about their reactions during these meetings.
Witnesses also suggested that the alleged relationship between Chavez-DeRemer and the ASAIC played a role in creating this hostile atmosphere. During a trip to Oregon, Chavez-DeRemer allegedly requested an unplanned stop at a venue featuring partially nude dancers, where she even instructed her driver to give cash to a dancer, reportedly against his initial refusal.
The investigation uncovered that the ASAIC was not only focusing on his interactions with Chavez-DeRemer but was also allegedly minimizing the presence of other personnel around them to create opportunities for private exchanges, compromising security in the process. This behavior raised questions about his job performance.
Witnesses described how close the two became soon after Chavez-DeRemer started in March 2025, often communicating via the encrypted messaging app Signal outside of work. Some observed moments that suggested intimacy, such as when she massaged the ASAIC’s shoulders in a car and they laughed together over a playful remark that could be interpreted as flirtatious.
Further accounts described them walking closely together after events. The situation escalated to the point where the OIG began surveilling Chavez-DeRemer’s home, discovering the ASAIC entering her residence through a back door on multiple occasions.
Despite the SAIC’s concerns and a recommendation for the ASAIC to take a leave of absence, he declined, indicating that taking such actions could result in job loss for the SAIC herself. The complex dynamics and tensions eventually led to the ASAIC being placed on administrative leave, first paid and then unpaid, before his resignation in March.
The Department of Labor, OIG, and White House were contacted for further comments on the ongoing situation.
