St Paul mayor faces independent inquiry over harassment allegations
St Paul officials have opened an independent investigation after Police Chief Axel Henry filed a formal complaint alleging Mayor Kaohly Her sent inappropriate messages to city employees. Her says she is cooperating and that the full facts should emerge.
In short
- St Paul officials have opened an independent investigation after Police Chief Axel Henry filed a formal complaint alleging Mayor Kaohly Her sent inappropriate messages to city employees.
- Her says she is cooperating and that the full facts should emerge.
St Paul Mayor Kaohly Her is under an independent investigation following a formal complaint alleging that she sent inappropriate messages to city employees, according to reporting published on July 30, 2026.
The Guardian reported that St Paul officials retained an outside law firm to examine the allegations. The complaint was filed by a lawyer for Police Chief Axel Henry and says the alleged conduct involved subordinate city employees, including police department personnel.
Her said in a written statement reported by NBC News that she had cooperated with the investigation and expected the full facts to emerge. She said she takes her obligation to treat city employees professionally and respectfully seriously, and acknowledged that some attempts at humor did not meet her own standards.
A spokesperson for the mayor told The New York Times that Her respects city employees and regrets any unintended effect of her actions, while declining to answer detailed questions during the continuing inquiry. The investigation has not produced a publicly reported finding, and the allegations remain unresolved.
Her, a Democrat and former Minnesota state representative, became St Paul’s first female mayor after winning the city’s 2025 election. The case now places scrutiny on workplace standards in the mayor’s office while the independent review proceeds.
