Democrats press IG to release former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer investigation
Chavez-DeRemer resigned Monday amid investigations into her and her husband.
House Democrats are demanding that the Department of Labor watchdog release its findings from an expected investigation of former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, according to letters first reviewed by ABC News.
Lawmakers on the Education and Workforce Committee, which has federal jurisdiction over the Labor Department, sent letters to Labor Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito and acting Secretary Keith Sonderling on Thursday following the embattled former secretary's exit from the agency, which was announced on Monday.
Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the committee, submitted one letter warning D'Esposito of his statutory obligation to keep Congress "fully informed" of the findings and a second urging Sonderling to preserve all agency records critical to ensuring that D'Esposito can complete the probe.
Scott also reminded the IG of his request for an investigation into Chavez-DeRemer's compliance with federal law dealing with retirement plans.
"Regardless of Secretary Chavez-DeRemer's resignation, I am writing to confirm that your office will promptly and thoroughly complete both investigations and keep Congress fully informed about any serious problems, abuses, and deficiencies at the Department of Labor that have policy implications," Scott wrote in the letter to D'Esposito.
Chavez-DeRemer was the third Trump Cabinet official to resign since March. During her year in office, Chavez-DeRemer faced multiple misconduct allegations before leaving for the private sector on Monday.
From allegations of having an affair with a member of her security detail, taking DOL staffers to strip clubs, and her husband Shawn DeRemer sexually assaulting DOL staffers, a wide-ranging IG report about Chavez-DeRemer is poised to drop any day.
Chavez-DeRemer and her husband have denied all the allegations.
"The allegations against me, my family, and my team have been peddled by high-ranked deep state actors who have been coordinating with the one-sided news media and continue to undermine President Trump's mission," Chavez-DeRemer wrote on X after her resignation was announced.
The Labor Department's IG conducts audits to review the effectiveness, efficiency, economy, and integrity of the department's programs and operations to determine whether programs and operations are in compliance with laws and regulations that its resources are efficiently and economically being utilized and that DOL programs achieve their intended results.
Prior to Chavez-DeRemer's exit, Scott had requested that D'Esposito investigate her compliance with all legal obligations under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), including establishing the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefit Plans.
The council provides technical expertise to the agency regarding complex issues relating to health care, disability, and retirement plans that cover millions of retirees nationwide, according to a letter from Scott. D'Esposito, a former congressman from New York, has not indicated he would launch the ERISA probe, according to a spokeswoman for the committee Democrats.
Additionally, under the Federal Records Act of 1950 (FRA), Scott's letter to Sonderling emphasizes that it is required for agencies to collect and retain records that have "informational value." Sonderling must also preserve any documentation highlighting the agency's policies and procedures. The letter said any violations are punishable by law and Sonderling could lose his position if he doesn't ensure compliance with FRA.
A spokesperson for the IG's office said it does not comment on active investigations.
Chavez-DeRemer was a one-term moderate Republican congresswoman, who sat on the Education and Workforce Committee before losing her reelection bid in Oregon's 5th District in 2024. She was picked by President Donald Trump to run the agency and received backing from the major labor unions for championing workforce issues in Congress.
Meanwhile, as the Trump administration attempts to dismantle federal bureaucracy, Chavez-DeRemer and Education Secretary Linda McMahon had worked closely on interagency partnerships that align education with workforce needs that they said will create efficiencies.
Rachel Gittleman, the president of AFGE Local 252 which represents some Department of Education employees who've been detailed to the Labor Department through the partnerships, decried the administration's moves.
"These interagency agreements are not for efficiency," she said. "When you dig into exactly what's happening, it is simply making all of that work more inefficient."
A Labor Department spokeswoman told ABC News that the department's agreements with the Department of Education are "resulting in more efficient delivery of funded programs and alignment of workforce and industry needs."
"The time for ineffective, siloed approaches for educating and training the future generation of American talent is over,” the spokeswoman added.
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