St. Paul Mayor Targeted by Police Chief Amidst Power Struggle and Harassment Allegations
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Mayor Kaohly Her, a trailblazing woman of color and immigrant leader, faces an external investigation after the police chief accused her of sexual harassment and inappropriate communications—a move seen by some as a reactionary attempt to undermine progressive leadership.
The St. Paul Police Department chief, Axel Henry, has filed a formal complaint against Mayor Kaohly Her, alleging sexual harassment toward him and other department members. The complaint, relayed via a letter from the city attorney's office on April 1, claims the mayor's conduct involved more than isolated incidents and included supposedly unlawful text messages to city staff. The letter references a screenshot of a text about a 'Weiner Wednesday' joke and a meme, which the attorney labeled as inappropriate—raising questions about the policing of humor and intent in the workplace.
In response, the city has hired Resolute Law, a St. Cloud-based firm, to conduct a comprehensive investigation, including a forensic extraction of the mayor's mobile devices. Attorney Christopher Madel has escalated the situation by warning of further litigation if the allegations are substantiated, signaling a potentially adversarial process.
Mayor Her, 53, has issued a statement affirming her cooperation with the investigation and expressing confidence that the 'full facts will come to light.' She acknowledged that some of her attempts at humor may not have met her own standards for professionalism, demonstrating accountability and transparency.
Police spokesperson Nikki Muehlhausen declined to comment, and the law firm did not respond to inquiries about the investigation's status, leaving the public with limited information.
Her, who immigrated from Laos at age three and has broken barriers as a leader in St. Paul, previously faced a restraining order petition that was dismissed by a Ramsey County court, which found no evidence of threats or improper influence. This latest complaint raises concerns about the weaponization of harassment allegations to challenge progressive, immigrant women in positions of power.