St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her is facing an independent investigation following a formal sexual harassment complaint filed against her by St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry, according to Theguardian. City leaders have contracted an outside law firm to conduct the inquiry into allegations that Her engaged in a prolonged campaign of harassment involving inappropriate mobile phone messages sent to subordinate city employees, including members of the police department.
The inquiry centers on a letter sent on April 1 to City Attorney Irene Kao by Chris Madel, an attorney representing Chief Henry, as reported by Theguardian. The complaint alleges that Her used one or more mobile phones to communicate inappropriate and unlawful text messages, which the chief decided to report formally after learning the conduct went beyond isolated incidents.
Details of the Complaint and Text Messages
According to reports from justthenews.com, the complaint outlines specific text messages attributed to the mayor, including a message stating, Happy Weiner Wednesday! Wish I was having a (hotdog emoji) with you all on 6 today!
The documentation also highlights another message containing a redacted photo, laughing emojis, and the caption, When she wraps you up in her blanket after you gave her a good weinering,
which sources describe as a misspelt reference to sexual intercourse.
Chief Henry’s lawyer stated that the police chief made a thoughtful and deliberate decision to step forward as a formal complainant because he was concerned that, without intervention, the behavior would continue unchecked and potentially expose other workers to retaliation for speaking out. Employment law experts note that work-related communications sent on personal phones or outside normal working hours remain fair game in workplace harassment investigations.
Mayor Her’s Response and Ongoing Investigation
An investigation led by employment law expert Cally Kjellberg-Nelson at the law firm Resolute Law has been under way since April, according to Theguardian.
Mayor Her released a public statement addressing the probe: As Mayor, I take my responsibility to treat every employee with professionalism and respect very seriously. I recognize that some of my attempts at humor fell short of the standard I expect of myself. We have fully cooperated with the independent investigation since it began in April and will continue to do so. I respect the investigative process and believe it is important to allow it to reach its conclusion. I remain confident that the full facts will come to light, and I will continue to focus on serving the people of St. Paul with integrity and dedication,
as quoted by 5 Eyewitness News.
Matt Wagenius, a spokesperson for the mayor, stated that the administration respects city employees and regrets any unintended impact, while noting that the city cannot comment further on an active investigation in order to protect confidentiality and process integrity.
City Leadership and Transparency Concerns
Reactions from the St. Paul City Council have been largely muted, with most members declining to comment on the open investigation. However, City Council Vice President Nelsie Yang’s office described the situation to 5 Eyewitness News as involving serious allegations and emphasized the importance of letting the independent process proceed before evaluating any completed findings.
Legal scholars point out that the high-profile nature of the case raises significant questions regarding public access and transparency. Media-law experts suggest that when the investigation concludes, officials may apply substantial redactions to the final report, meaning it could take months for comprehensive details to become publicly available unless privacy concerns are outweighed by the public interest.
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