While some are dancing on the grave of former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, there is increased speculation on who will be the next Trump cabinet member to see their fortunes change. If the deepening investigation by the Office of Inspector General (OIG) into Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer is any indication, she could be on that short list.
Chavez-DeRemer is under the OIG microscope for allegedly creating a hostile work environment, having an inappropriate relationship with a staffer, drinking on the job, and using department travel for her own personal aims. As RedState reported in January, Chavez-DeRemer's Chief of Staff Jihun Han and Deputy Chief of Staff Rebecca Wright were placed on administrative leave for their potential involvement in helping Chavez-DeRemer facilitate these acts. In late February, RedState further reported that Chavez-DeRemer's offices were searched. The cascade continued, when Chavez-DeRemer's husband, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, was investigated by the DC Metropolitan Police Department on allegations that he was sexually harassing the DOL staff. No charges were filed, but DeRemer was reportedly barred from the DOL's Frances Perkins building.
Another shoe has dropped. On Wednesday, a third Chavez-DeRemer aide was placed on administrative leave.
Another one of Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s close aides has been sidelined amid an expanding internal investigation of alleged misconduct at the top levels of the department, according to two current agency officials.
Melissa Robey, who has been serving as Chavez-DeRemer’s director of advance, was put on administrative leave Wednesday, said the two officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss the matter.
According to her LinkedIn profile, before joining Chavez-DeRemer's staff, Robey was the Director of Law Enforcement for former VA Gov. Glenn Youngkin's campaign, then became a policy advisor for the Commonwealth of Virginia. Robey was the Assistant Director of Internal Operations for the 60th Presidential Inauguration Committee, then moved into the Presidential Advance Team for Donald Trump, and was finally tapped as the Director of Advance for the Department of Labor. Robey had been traveling with Chavez-DeRemer for the DOL's "America at Work" 50-state tour. It was while the Labor Secretary and Robey were in Hawaii that they were informed Robey was being sidelined.
Kind of brutal.
Robey had started serving in a larger role after Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of staff and deputy chief of staff were placed on leave in early January. Both the chief of staff and the deputy chief of staff decided to resign earlier this week amid pressure from the White House, which has stood by Chavez-DeRemer since the scandal broke.
A member of the secretary’s security detail has been on paid leave for more than a month amid allegations that he had an improper personal relationship with Chavez-DeRemer, who is married.
DC Police Sweep Labor Secretary's Office Over Allegations Against Her Husband
This leaves Chavez-DeRemer standing alone. According to the New York Post, on Monday both Jihun Han and Rebecca Wright were given the choice by the White House to resign or be fired. Now that Robey has been sidelined, this may be the last of Chavez-DeRemer's trusted staff to be removed from her orbit.
People familiar with the probe indicated that investigators had gathered sufficient evidence of a “toxic” work environment created by the pair, including verbal abuse of staffers and waste of departmental resources on personal travel.
The investigation has uncovered that the same whiff of mendacity that resulted in reconfiguring at the head of DHS was found among Chavez-DeRemer's staffers. Apparently, they failed to remember that they served at the pleasure of the President, not the Secretary of Labor.
Wright had also enraged the White House by taking a swipe at President Trump last year, the sources added, telling staff in a meeting: “We don’t care what the White House tells us to do. We only care that the secretary looks good.”
Chavez-DeRemer is not looking very good right now. It could be the clock has started ticking on her departure.
Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.
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