WASHINGTON — Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is under an internal investigation following an explosive complaint alleging she’s been “abusing her position” by pursuing an “inappropriate” relationship with a subordinate, according to sources and documents reviewed by The Post.
Chavez-DeRemer, 57, has welcomed her alleged paramour at least three times to her DC apartment and twice into her hotel room while traveling, alleges a complaint filed with the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Inspector General last week, which has since begun a probe.
The former Oregon congresswoman is also accused of drinking in her office during the workday and committing “travel fraud” by having her chief of staff and deputy chief of staff “make up” official trips to destinations where Chavez-DeRemer can spend time with family or friends on the taxpayers’ dime.
White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers called the allegations “baseless.”
“Secretary Chavez-DeRemer is an incredible asset to President Trump’s team and she will continue advancing the President’s America First agenda,” Rogers said in a statement.
Sources also accused her of being a “boss from hell,” by forcing aides to run personal errands or perform other menial tasks while on the clock.
Chavez-DeRemer, chief of staff Jihun Han, and deputy chief of staff Rebecca Wright — whom the complaint alleges are “involved and have knowledge of these issues” — are all now under investigation by the DOL’s Office of Inspector General, according to sources and documents.
“These unsubstantiated allegations are categorically false,” said DOL spokesperson Courtney Parella. “Secretary Chavez-DeRemer has complied with all ethics rules and Department policies and remains fully engaged in carrying out the Department’s work on behalf of this historic Administration. The Secretary is considering all possible avenues, including legal action, to fight these baseless accusations from anonymous sources.”
A spokesperson for the DOL’s inspector general’s office, which is run by former New York GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, said: “It is the policy of the DOL OIG to neither confirm nor deny the existence or non-existence of any OIG investigation or complaint beyond what is published on our website.”
“DOL OIG remains committed to rooting out fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption through objective, independent oversight of the U.S. Department of Labor,” the rep added. D’Esposito referred The Post to an IG spokesperson for comment.
Two purported meet-ups between Chavez-DeRemer and her alleged affair partner took place in September, after the mom-of-two told her security detail that protection wasn’t needed, according to the IG complaint.
A third alleged visit occurred at the same DC apartment in October, when the man waited until the agents protecting the secretary went home before driving over, the complaint noted.
The subordinate allegedly entangled with the secretary told the Post, “I got lawyers, so I’m not gonna talk to you. I have nothing to say.” He declined to provide his lawyers’ contact information.
Chavez-DeRemer and the staffer traveled together to the Red Rocks Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas in late October to celebrate her niece’s 40th birthday party while the federal government was shut down, photos and videos obtained by The Post show.
The complaint said that additional video footage from the hotel shows the pair engaging in unprofessional behavior on at least two trips to Vegas in 2025. The Post has not seen the alleged footage.
When word of the alleged misconduct began circulating in the department, Chavez-DeRemer instructed her chief of staff, Han, to “leave it alone,” the complaint stated.
The complaint also described Chavez-DeRemer drinking in her office — with references to “a stash” of champagne, bourbon and Kahlua that she keeps there.
In 2025, the DOL spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for the secretary to visit 37 states on more than 50 official trips, according to sources and official travel schedules.
At least 10 of those visits were to Nevada or locations where she has personal ties — including her home state of Oregon; Arizona, where she and her anesthesiologist husband have a home that’s listed as a primary residence in mortgage documents, as ProPublica first reported; and Michigan, where her daughter resides.
“There’s not an ounce of truth to this, and anyone who knows my wife would know that,” said Chavez-DeRemer’s husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, of the allegations in a statement.
In November alone, the labor secretary went on five trips, three of which were listed in her own travel schedules as “personal” and included stops in Michigan, Oregon and California, according to schedules reviewed by The Post.
While on official travel, Chavez-DeRemer will speak for 30 minutes to an hour and then does “personal stuff” and “goes out drinking at night” on the government’s dime, according to the complaint.
“The New York Post was unable to provide any evidence to corroborate these baseless claims in this ‘report’ supposedly filed by a FORMER disgruntled employee,” Rogers, from the White House, said in a statement. “Additionally, they were unable to present any evidence that this ‘report’ was ever even filed. Reporting on these allegations without any evidence to back them is basic journalistic malpractice.”
Chavez-DeRemer did not respond to a request for comment.
During her failed 2024 House re-election bid, Chavez-DeRemer splurged on more than $56,000 on luxury hotels and $4,345 on limo and chauffeur services.
Such use of campaign funds are not prohibited by federal law and Chavez-DeRemer was not accused of violating election laws.
