Two of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s top aides have been placed on administrative leave as the Department of Labor’s inspector general probes a complaint alleging misuse of official travel and other misconduct, posing a new issue for President Donald Trump’s administration amid heightened scrutiny of taxpayer spending and internal accountability.
Chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy chief of staff Rebecca Wright were placed on leave on Monday, Jan. 12, Bloomberg Law reported, citing a person with direct knowledge of the situation.
The underlying complaint, as described in press reports, alleges that travel tied to Chavez-DeRemer’s official schedule overlapped with personal visits involving family and friends, raising questions about whether taxpayers covered costs that should have been paid privately.
The complaint also includes allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate and drinking during the workday, claims that the White House and the Labor Department have rejected.
Chavez-DeRemer’s husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, denied the affair allegation in a statement carried by the New York Post:
Dept. of Labor Aides Placed on Leave Amid Travel Probe
