Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has resigned

A senior White House official announced that Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has resigned and will take a private sector position, and Keith Sonderling will serve as acting Secretary. The resignation follows reported inquiries and news accounts about her conduct.

Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has resigned, a senior White House official said Monday. White House director of communications Steven Cheung said Chavez-DeRemer will take a position in the private sector and offered public praise for her tenure. A formal announcement from Chavez-DeRemer was reported to be expected soon. Cheung said Keith Sonderling will serve as acting Secretary of Labor. Key details: - The resignation was announced by a senior White House official and accompanied by public praise from Steven Cheung. - Cheung said Chavez-DeRemer will move to a private sector role. - Keith Sonderling was named acting Secretary of Labor. - The department's inspector general was reported by The New York Times to be investigating whether taxpayer funds were used for personal travel. - Media reports cited other allegations, including reports of an affair, a ban on her husband from department headquarters, a roughly $1 million settlement of an employment discrimination claim, reports of drinking in the office, and that several top staff were placed on leave or left their positions (reported by The New York Post and NBC News). - Chavez-DeRemer's attorney told outlets the resignation was a personal decision and not the result of legal wrongdoing. Summary: The Labor Department will be led by acting Secretary Keith Sonderling while a formal announcement from Chavez-DeRemer is expected. The resignation follows reported inquiries and media accounts about her conduct. Further developments, including any formal statement from Chavez-DeRemer and the duration of the acting appointment, are undetermined at this time.