St. Paul, Minnesota – St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, who took office in January, is currently facing an outside investigation into allegations of sexual harassment. The formal complaint was filed by Police Chief Axel Henry, who claims the mayor made sexually inappropriate remarks to him and other city employees during her first months in office. The city has since retained an independent law firm to conduct a thorough inquiry into the accusations.
"Chief Henry has reached this decision to step forward as a formal complainant against the Mayor after becoming aware that the Mayor’s conduct has…" — Alpha News, Reporting on Formal Complaint
Chief Henry, who has led the St. Paul Police Department since 2022, reportedly decided to become the formal complainant after learning that the alleged conduct might have extended beyond his personal interactions with Mayor Her. According to an April 1 letter sent by Henry’s attorney, Christopher W. Madel, to St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao, the reported conduct involved more than a small number of encounters and affected other city workers, including employees within the police department. Henry's attorney emphasized that the chief believed a formal complaint was necessary to prevent the alleged conduct from continuing and to protect other employees who might fear coming forward.
The complaint detailed several alleged inappropriate incidents, including a screenshot of a message attributed to Mayor Her containing a sexual reference and a hot-dog emoji. Another partially redacted image, reportedly from the mayor, was accompanied by a sexually suggestive caption that read, "Happy Weiner Wednesday! Wish I was having a (hot dog emoji) with you all on 6 today!" These examples were presented as illustrative of numerous alleged inappropriate messages and interactions.
In his letter, Madel also stated that potential litigation was "reasonably foreseeable" and urged the city to preserve all potentially relevant records. He specifically requested a complete forensic extraction of data from the mayor’s mobile devices to ensure a comprehensive investigation. Chief Henry has cooperated extensively with investigators, participating in interviews on at least two occasions. Despite the serious nature of the allegations, Madel confirmed that the police chief has no public comment on the matter and remains focused on his duties, including recent efforts in closing a triple-homicide investigation.
A spokesperson for Mayor Her acknowledged the allegations, stating that the mayor respects city employees and regrets any unintended impact her actions may have had. However, the spokesperson did not provide a timeline for the completion of the investigation or indicate whether its findings would be released publicly. The mayor’s office stated that the city would adhere to applicable laws when determining how to handle the investigative report.
Mayor Her made history when she took office earlier this year as St. Paul’s first woman and first Hmong American mayor. Her administration has also garnered attention for addressing the city's budget challenges and developing plans for homeless encampments. Prior to her mayoral term, while serving in the Minnesota House, Her drew scrutiny for comments regarding her family's immigration history. She stated that her father had listed his deceased mother on refugee paperwork, leading her to say, "Because his mother had died, my father, as the one processing the paperwork, put my grandmother down as his mother. And so I am illegal in this country. My parents are illegal here in this country." She later clarified that she and her parents are U.S. citizens and that her family entered the United States legally as refugees.
The ongoing investigation casts a shadow over the early months of Mayor Her's tenure. City officials have not yet indicated when the outside investigation is expected to conclude, leaving the resolution of these serious allegations pending.
