St. Paul police chief files sexual harassment complaint against Mayor Kaohly Her

St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry submitted a written sexual harassment complaint to the city attorney on April 1, alleging that Mayor Kaohly Her made inappropriate sexual comments toward him and other municipal employees. The filing, obtained by a local news outlet, states that litigation is "reasonably foreseeable" and requests a full extraction of the mayor's phone data.

Chief Henry has participated in multiple interviews with investigators. His attorney, Chris Madel, said, "> Chief Henry just closed a triple-homicide case in under four hours. He’s got a city to keep safe and has no comment on this."

The mayor’s office declined to comment on the active investigation, noting the need to protect confidentiality and the integrity of the process, and expressed regret for any unintended impact of her actions. The president of the St. Paul Police Federation, Mark Ross, emphasized the union’s focus on supporting rank-and-file officers and serving the community, adding that he could not elaborate further.

The complaint alleges that the mayor sent inappropriate and potentially unlawful text messages using mobile phones, citing examples that include a “Happy Weiner Wednesday” message and a redacted screenshot with suggestive language. It claims the behavior extends beyond isolated incidents and involves other city employees and police officers. The filing notes that Chief Henry filed the complaint to prevent further unchecked conduct and to protect others from retaliation.

Mayor Her, the first woman and first Hmong American to hold the office, was elected less than seven months ago and has recently faced scrutiny over the city’s budget and plans to address homeless encampments.