Reed Bids Good Riddance to Trump’s Scandal-Plagued Labor Secretary

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, after scandal-plagued U.S. Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer reportedly resigned from Donald Trump’s cabinet while under investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) inspector general over multiple abuse of power allegations , U.S. Senator Jack Reed issued the following statement: “I voted against Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s nomination because I thought she would serve as more of a courtier for President Trump than as an independent cabinet official who would serve the best interests of working men and women. Unfortunately, I was proven correct. She enabled Donald Trump to hollow out DOL, undermined worker protections, attempted to gut training programs for vulnerable workers and youth, and presided over a massive loss of blue-collar jobs. Her main legacy is hanging a gaudy banner of President Trump on the Department’s headquarters and a social media campaign full of images and slogans evoking white nationalism. “Her dysfunctional, scandal-plagued tenure ends in disgrace with her spouse banned from DOL headquarters and her resigning under a cloud of suspicion and investigation. While Congressional Republicans declined to provide strong oversight, DOL’s inspector general pursued the evidence. Even though the Secretary resigned, taxpayers still deserve to see the full extent of the IG’s report. “Like too many other Trump cabinet officials, her tenure was marked by sordid allegations, the misuse of taxpayer resources, and a climate of ineffectiveness and unaccountability. Ms. Chavez-DeRemer follows her chief of staff and deputy chief of staff out the door after they were previously forced to resign. Anyone on her staff who engaged in misconduct must be held accountable. Unfortunately, the Trump Administration seems to make a habit of forcing taxpayers to pay for cabinet officials’ extravagant travel and inappropriate behavior. This pattern can not continue and Republicans in Congress need to join Democrats in working to ensure real accountability.” Chavez-DeRemer’s departure follows that of former U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.