Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer allegedly fostered a “toxic, intimidating and humiliating” workplace when she led the department, a scathing watchdog report released Thursday found.
An investigation by the Labor Department’s Office of Inspector General said Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned in April, regularly drank alcohol during the workday, failed to properly report expensive gifts she had received and had an “inappropriately close and unprofessional relationship” with a member of her security detail.
The report comes nearly five months after Chavez-DeRemer left the Trump administration amid allegations of misconduct and abuse of power. She was the third member of President Trump’s Cabinet to step down.
Investigators interviewed at least 38 witnesses who consistently described the secretary’s office as “toxic,“ according to the report. Senior officials allegedly berated staffers in front of colleagues, discussed inappropriate personal matters and threatened to terminate employees.