Two top aides to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer have been placed on administrative leave amid an internal investigation into her alleged relationship with a subordinate.
Chief of Staff Jihun Han and his deputy, Rebecca Wright, were put on leave Monday, two department officials told Politico. A spokesperson for the Labor Department said it does not comment on personnel matters.
A complaint filed last week with the agency’s Office of Inspector General, obtained by the New York Post, alleged that the two aides were “involved and have knowledge” of the accusations against Chavez-DeRemer—including that she had an “inappropriate” relationship with a subordinate, drinks on the job, and commits “travel fraud” on taxpayers’ dime.
The complaint reportedly alleged that Han and Wright “make up” official trips so that Chavez-DeRemer can visit family or friends. The former Oregon congresswoman has been married to her high school sweetheart, anesthesiologist Shawn DeRemer, for over 30 years. They share twin daughters.
Her top destinations included Oregon, her home state; Arizona, where she and her husband own a home; Michigan, where one of her daughters lives; and Las Vegas, which she visited at least four times last year, according to the complaint and her travel schedules.
Chavez-DeRemer was also accused of pursuing a relationship with a subordinate. When word got out about the affair, she allegedly instructed Han to “leave it alone,” according to the complaint. Shawn told The Post that “there’s not an ounce of truth to this, and anyone who knows my wife would know that.”
The complaint also alleged that Chavez-DeRemer keeps a “stash” of champagne, bourbon, and Kahlua in her office, and frequently drinks during work hours.
The secretary and her two aides are all under investigation by the agency’s internal watchdog, according to the outlet. Labor Department spokesperson Courtney Parella previously told The Post that the accusations against Chavez-DeRemer were “unsubstantiated allegations” that were “categorically false.” The White House, meanwhile, called them “baseless.”
Chavez-DeRemer officially became Labor Secretary in March last year. During an April Cabinet meeting, she told President Donald Trump that she had kicked off a “50-state tour.”
“We’ve been in five states so far. We’re going to hit 50 states by the end of the year,” she said at the time. She ended up visiting 36 states, missing her goal due to the record-breaking government shutdown.
“I couldn’t be more honored to be on the ground, and I couldn’t be more honored to see my colleagues,” she told Trump.
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