Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer had ‘inappropriate relationship’ with member of security detail, created a ‘toxic’ work environment: IG report

Former U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer appears for a House Committee on Education and Workforce hearing on Capitol Hill on June 5, 2025, in Washington, D.C. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) — The former Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer had an “inappropriate relationship” with a member of her security detail and created a “toxic” work environment, according to a report from the department’s Office of Inspector General.

The long-awaited report quietly released Thursday night details the allegations against Chavez-DeRemer and members of her senior staff. She resigned as secretary in April and members of her senior staff were fired, according to the report. 

Anthony D’Esposito, the Labor Department Inspector General, found that more than 30 witnesses said Chavez-DeRemer created a “toxic, intimidating and humiliating” work environment. The Inspector General opened the investigation after receiving a complaint in January 2026 about an inappropriate work environment under Chavez-DeRemer. 

In one instance highlighted in the report, during personal travel to Oregon in April 2025, Chavez-DeRemer allegedly stopped at a club with “partially nude” dancers, had her head of security rearrange the detail so her limousine driver could enter with her, and then gave a member for the detail cash from her purse and had him give it to a performer.

“When the agent resisted and sought guidance from ASAIC 1, ASAIC 1 instructed him to comply with Chavez-DeRemer’s requests,” according to the report. “Chavez-DeRemer then took additional money from her purse and asked the agent to drop the bills one by one onto the partially nude woman.”

Chavez-DeRemer also allegedly had an “inappropriately close and unprofessional relationship” with a member of her security detail who “exercised supervisory and operational authority over her protective detail,” according to the report.

The report also alleges that Chavez-DeRemer used her staff for personal tasks, such as organizing her closet and purchasing holiday ornaments. 

Chavez-DeRemer also accepted gifts and did not properly report them, according to the Inspector General. Those gifts included rodeo tickets, an alligator wallet and two cowboy hats, according to the report.

A text message to the former secretary was not returned; ABC News reached out to Chavez-DeRemer’s attorney as well.

ABC News has reached out to the Labor Department for comment.

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