Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer faces mounting allegations of misconduct while her department operates largely without her showing up for work, according to The Washington Post.
In addition to ongoing investigations into allegations of an affair with a staffer and drinking on the job, new reports describe alcohol stored in her office and attendance at strip clubs with staff members. The Post reported that insiders claim Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling effectively runs the Labor Department.
Chavez-DeRemer has maintained minimal presence in Washington, focusing instead on a 50-state “America at Work” tour. Her absence has prompted criticism from both agency stakeholders and business representatives, according to the report.
One lobbyist with department dealings commented, “Keith has been running the Labor Department since Day 1, as we thought he would. Her substantive interest is not that great in many areas. She hasn’t been in the building much. She has had, from what I can determine, minimal involvement in substantive matters.”
Career staff members echoed similar concerns. A longtime Labor Department employee stated, “The career staff view her as a ghost. She doesn’t publish her schedule. We don’t know where she’s at. We find out from the press releases that the public gets.”
Outside consultants report declining morale within the agency. Government affairs specialist Judy Conti observed, “Morale is in the toilet in that building.”
Staff frustration intensified following Chavez-DeRemer’s arrival during a period of workforce uncertainty. The Post reported that when she was sworn in last year, the department faced potential layoffs. Her swearing-in ceremony featured champagne and cake, a celebration some staff found jarring given the employment crisis.
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