D.C. police close investigation into Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s husband after prosecutors decline charges

Case review ends with no criminal charge after allegations involving Labor Department staff

Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department has closed its investigation into Shawn DeRemer, the husband of U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, after federal prosecutors determined the available evidence did not indicate a crime and declined to pursue charges.

The inquiry focused on allegations from at least one employee at the Department of Labor that DeRemer engaged in unwanted sexual contact at the department’s Washington headquarters, the Frances Perkins Building. Investigators reviewed available evidence, including security-camera footage, as part of the evaluation. Officials concluded the matter would not move forward as a criminal case.

DeRemer’s attorney has characterized the encounter at issue as non-criminal and consistent with a friendly embrace. The investigative outcome means no charges were filed based on the material reviewed by detectives and prosecutors, but it does not itself constitute a civil finding or a workplace determination regarding policy compliance.

Workplace access restricted amid separate internal scrutiny at the department

Even as the criminal inquiry concluded, DeRemer has faced administrative restrictions tied to the controversy. He was barred from entering the Labor Department’s headquarters during the period the allegations were under review and was disinvited from at least one public event. Those measures reflect the department’s ability to control access to federal facilities independent of any criminal charging decision.

The closure of the police investigation comes against the backdrop of a broader internal investigation involving the labor secretary’s office. The Department of Labor’s inspector general has been examining allegations related to departmental operations and leadership conduct, including claims of misuse of official resources and an improper relationship involving a member of the secretary’s security detail. The secretary has denied wrongdoing.

As part of that internal probe, two senior aides have been placed on investigative leave. The department has limited public comment on personnel matters while the review remains active.

What the closure signifies—and what it does not

In the District of Columbia, investigations of alleged sexual misconduct typically depend on evidence such as video footage, witness accounts, and the legal threshold required for prosecutors to prove criminal elements beyond a reasonable doubt. A decision not to charge can result from factors including the nature of the conduct depicted, available corroboration, and whether the facts meet statutory definitions.

The end of the criminal investigation narrows the immediate legal exposure for DeRemer. However, separate processes may still proceed on different timelines and standards, including inspector general reviews and any workplace actions related to conduct in or around federal facilities.

• The police investigation has been closed and prosecutors declined charges.
• Security footage was among the evidence reviewed.
• DeRemer’s access to Labor Department headquarters was restricted amid the allegations.
• An inspector general investigation involving the secretary’s office remains ongoing.

The criminal case review ended without charges; internal oversight inquiries at the department continue under separate authority.