Trump’s labour secretary pick, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, faces scrutiny over lavish campaign spending – Times of India

File photo: Lori Chavez-DeRemer (Picture credit: ANI)

President-elect Donald Trump’s selection of Lori Chavez-DeRemer as Labour Secretary is drawing sharp criticism, not only for her political positions but also for her campaign spending habits.
The Oregon congresswoman, who lost her re-election bid this November, reportedly spent tens of thousands of dollars on luxury hotel stays and limousine services during her campaign, raising eyebrows among her critics.
According to Federal Election Commission records reviewed by The New York Post, Chavez-DeRemer’s campaign shelled out over $56,000 on hotel stays between February 2023 and October 2024.
The expenses included $6,290 at the five-star Phoenician Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona, which boasts a three-level pool with a view of Camelback Mountain. Other high-profile stays included the Potawatomi Casino Hotel in Milwaukee, a Hilton in Wisconsin, and even a Miami Ritz-Carlton.
In addition to hotel expenses, the campaign spent at least $4,345 on limousine and chauffeur services, with one Utah company, Snow Country Limousine, receiving $731.50. Around the same time, her campaign also spent $1,512 at the luxurious St. Regis Deer Valley resort, known for its ski-in, ski-out facilities.
These revelations come as Chavez-DeRemer faces backlash from conservative Republicans, who label her a “Republican in name only” due to her support for pro-union policies.
As per The New York Post, one GOP insider quipped, “All this wasteful spending, boy is she ready for the Department of Labor,”.
Chavez-DeRemer is one of the few Republicans to back the PRO Act, a union-supported bill aimed at overturning right-to-work laws in over two dozen states. The legislation, which ultimately failed, would have made it easier for workers to unionise. Her nomination is reportedly backed by Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien, who praised her as a bridge between business and labour communities.
While Trump touted her nomination as a move to empower the American workforce, her union-friendly stance has sparked divisions within the Republican Party.
Critics point to her support for other controversial policies, including legislation providing pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and reforms that benefit public sector workers.