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🇷🇴 Romania /Crime & Justice

Scandal involving former U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer resurfaces over staff being ordered to hang her laundry

From Adevărul · () Romanian

Translated from Romanian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Documents & data Outcome reported
  • A Labor Department inspector general report published on Sept. 3 details allegations against former Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer after an internal investigation.
  • The report says she contributed to a “toxic, intimidating and humiliating” workplace and used staff for personal errands, including household tasks.
  • Investigators also examined alleged alcohol use during work hours, personal travel presented as official business and unregistered expensive gifts.

The scandal surrounding Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s departure as U.S. labor secretary has returned to the spotlight after the publication of an internal investigation report. Chavez-DeRemer resigned shortly after the investigation began.

The Labor Department inspector general’s 38-page report, published on Sept. 3, records allegations and findings from her time in office. It says she drank alcohol during working hours, used public money for personal travel and relied on employees to handle personal matters at home.

The OIG began its investigation on January 6, 2026, following an anonymous complaint submitted through the OIG hotline at the U.S. Department of Labor, which contained numerous allegations, including that Secretary Chavez-DeRemer created a hostile work environment for OSEC employees. During the investigation, the OIG interviewed dozens of witnesses who provided evidence of possible harassment, a hostile work environment, workplace discrimination and retaliation.

· Labor Department Office of Inspector GeneralThe report describes how the investigation began and the allegations examined.

The investigation began on Jan. 6, 2026, after an anonymous complaint was submitted through the Labor Department inspector general’s hotline. The complaint included allegations that Chavez-DeRemer created a hostile working environment for OSEC employees. Investigators interviewed dozens of witnesses and collected evidence concerning possible harassment, workplace hostility, discrimination and retaliation.

toxic, intimidating and humiliating

· Labor Department Office of Inspector GeneralThe report’s description of the workplace Chavez-DeRemer allegedly helped create.

The report concluded that Chavez-DeRemer contributed to a workplace described as “toxic, intimidating and humiliating.” American media had previously reported that department employees were allegedly ordered to perform personal tasks for her. One assistant was reportedly told to use an official vehicle to go to Chavez-DeRemer’s home, “hang her laundry to dry, clean and organize her dresses, shoes and bags.”

The report also identified a “recurring pattern” of private trips presented as official travel. Another allegation involved frequent drinking during work hours and requests that staff purchase alcohol for her. CNN published messages in which Chavez-DeRemer told an employee to buy wine and deliver it to the hotel where she was staying during an official visit. The report also says she accepted expensive gifts without registering them.

hang her laundry to dry, clean and organize her dresses, shoes and bags

· Unnamed assistant, as reported in the articleThe alleged personal tasks Chavez-DeRemer ordered an assistant to perform.
About this summary

Originally published by Adevărul in Romanian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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