A bodyguard who allegedly had an affair with Donald Trump’s Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer quit his role last week amid an internal investigation.
Chavez-DeRemer, 57, has been the subject of an inspector general’s inspection into her department, which has been riddled with claims of workplace bullying in her office, personal trips taken on the public purse, and a birthday party disguised as a work event.
A new report by Politico claims that Brian Sloan, a member of Chavez-DeRemer’s security team, was one of four staffers placed on leave by the DOL. Two department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the outlet that the security officer resigned last week, but did not provide an exact date.
Sloan allegedly had an inappropriate sexual relationship with the married labor secretary, which she has denied.
Chavez-DeRemer’s attorney told Politico she is cooperating with the investigation into her office, which is being run by former GOP Rep. Anthony D’Esposito.
The Daily Beast has contacted the DOL and D’Esposito for comment. Sloan did not respond to Politico’s request for comment.
The labor secretary had been accused of hosting a member of her security team in her Washington, D.C., apartment three times and twice in her hotel room while traveling, according to a report obtained by the New York Post in January.
That includes a stint at the Red Rocks Casino Resort and Spa in Las Vegas with her alleged paramour in October, while the Department of Labor was shut down.
The labor secretary has been married to Dr. Shawn DeRemer since 1991. They have twin daughters.
Her DOL biography says DeRemer, who founded an anesthesia management company, is her high school sweetheart. It also points out that Chavez-DeRemer, who was sworn in on March 11 last year, is now a grandmother.
Chavez-DeRemer attended the MAGA gala opening of the documentary Melania in January without her husband, amid rumors of her extramarital affair.
The investigation also looked into a birthday party Chavez-DeRemer rebranded as a belated swearing-in celebration last year.
When questioned about the self-indulgent event, on April 7, Chavez-DeRemer’s birthday, she told the House Appropriations Committee, “I did not have a birthday party.”
However a photo of the party obtained by The New York Times sees the Republican blowing out candles on her birthday cake as staffers look on.
Staffers drank wine and socialized, the Times noted, adding that the secretary blew out candles on a birthday cake. Multiple TVs at the event featured her face and guests sang “Happy Birthday” to her.
Other complaints about the culture in Chavez-DeRemer’s department include the labor secretary being accused of drinking during the day, keeping a stash of champagne, bourbon, and Kahlua in her office, and committing travel fraud.
Some of Chavez-DeRemer’s aides believed her travel across the U.S. had been routed to boost her own political profile, while her calendar regularly showed she had only one or two minor events, with the reset of the day left clear for personal time.
Her chief of staff at the time, Jihun Han, threatened to bring criminal charges against department members who went public with internal behavior, according to ProPublica, citing a leaked memo.
Han and Deputy Chief of Staff Rebecca Wright had been placed on leave while the investigation was conducted, but quit after being told to resign or be fired by Trump administration officials this month.
Politico says the investigators did not meet with Sloan, Han or Wright before they resigned.
