According to The Washington Post, a report released by a U.S. federal watchdog agency on September 3rd local time revealed that Chavez-Dremer, the former U.S. Labor Secretary who resigned in April this year, engaged in misconduct such as misusing public funds and maintaining improper relationships with subordinates. Additionally, she created a ‘hostile, intimidating, and humiliating’ working environment at the Department of Labor.
Since January this year, Chavez-Dremer has been investigated by the internal oversight department of the Labor Department for suspected abuse of power. Initially, the White House expressed support for her, but after the allegations of abuse of power came to light, she resigned in April, becoming the third member of Trump's cabinet to step down.
After months of investigation, the Office of the Inspector General within the Department of Labor determined that Chavez-Dremmer and one of his security guards maintained a 'too close and unethical relationship'; misappropriated government funds for personal travel; and frequently drank alcohol during working hours.
The report also lists numerous examples, indicating that she violated departmental rules and regulations on multiple occasions, including those related to anti-harassment policies.
The report mentions that Chavez-Dremer asked security personnel to accompany her to a striptizing club in Oregon. Upon arrival, she took out money from her bag and gave it to the driver, ordering him to give it to the performers. The driver refused, so the bodyguard demanded that he carry out the order. Subsequently, she took out more cash and instructed the driver to scatter the bills one by one towards the half-naked performers.
The supervisory authorities did not find any direct evidence to prove that the security assistant whose name was omitted from the report had a romantic or sexual relationship with Chavez-Dremer. Both parties refused to be questioned during the investigation. However, investigators monitored Chavez-Dremer and obtained card swipe records from hotel rooms during her trips, indicating that the two spent multiple nights together.
This survey interviewed 53 current and former employees of the Department of Labor. More than thirty of them described the working atmosphere within the Department of Labor as “hostile”.
Employee testimonies indicate that Chavez-Dremer and her team evaluated employees' work performance in front of other colleagues, and even openly discussed whether employees had cried. Witnesses said that Chavez-Dremer and her assistants not only drank alcohol on working days, but also forced other employees to drink, and mocked those who refused to drink.
The report records several incidents where she instructed her subordinates to handle personal matters. Once, she sent her private assistant and administrative secretary to use the Department of Labor’s official vehicle during working hours to go to her home. There, they sorted out the wardrobe in her bedroom and organized clothes that needed to be hung or dry-cleaned. They also arranged clothes, shoes, and handbags.
Chavez-Dreimer previously refuted the accusations through a department spokesman and lawyer, stating that these claims were "attempts to divert attention and attacks on his personal life." When reporters sought comment on September 4th, his lawyer Nick Oberhagen said: "This report, which has no real effect, precisely proves that Minister Chavez-Dreimer has not violated any laws."
After leaving government, Chávez-Dremer established a political action committee called “American Workers First”. This Republican-oriented committee has yet to release its donation details report.
