Cassidy Holds Labor Nominees After Chavez-DeRemer Report
A scathing report on former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer has led Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., to place a hold on four of President Donald Trump's nominees for federal labor-related positions, the New York Post reported.
"Now that the investigation is complete, we need answers," Cassidy said in a statement. "Members and staff were not briefed on the findings. That is unacceptable and disregards Congress's constitutional oversight role."
He added, "The HELP [Health, Education, Labor and Pensions] Committee will not consider additional labor nominees until bipartisan members and staff have been fully briefed."
Chavez-DeRemer repeatedly violated federal workplace, travel, alcohol, and ethics policies while maintaining an ''inappropriately close and unprofessional relationship" with a member of her security detail, according to an inspector general's report released this week.
The 44-page report said a preponderance of the evidence substantiated multiple violations by Chavez-DeRemer and four other former Labor Department officials.
Investigators interviewed 53 current and former department employees and one employee from another federal agency. They also reviewed more than 500 documents, images and videos.
Thirty-eight witnesses described the secretary's office as ''toxic, intimidating and humiliating," according to Inspector General Anthony D'Esposito. Employees reported demeaning treatment, threats of termination, and fear of retaliation for raising concerns or speaking with investigators.
The report concluded that Chavez-DeRemer failed to comply with the department's anti-harassment policy, improperly combined personal and official travel, possessed and consumed alcohol on federal property without required authorization, directed government employees to perform personal tasks, and failed to properly report gifts.
Keith Sonderling, who was nominated by Trump to replace Chavez-DeRemer, is awaiting a vote from the full Senate.
The nominees affected by Cassidy's hold are Mike Doyle for the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission, Walter Darr for the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, and Doug Ralph and Loren Sweatt for the National Mediation Board, the Post reported.
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Oregon congresswoman, resigned in April, one day before her scheduled interview with investigators. Her attorney declined to make her available, and she did not respond to a request for comment.
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