Kaohly Her, the first female mayor of St. Paul, is undergoing an independent investigation into allegations of sexual harassment, according to reporting by the New York Times and NBC News. The inquiry was prompted by a formal complaint filed by the city’s police chief, Axel Henry, through his attorney Chris Madel in early April.
The complaint alleges that Her, a Democrat elected in November, sent inappropriate messages to multiple city employees, including members of the police department. According to the letter obtained by news outlets, Henry decided to file a formal complaint after determining that Her’s conduct extended beyond isolated incidents and constituted a pattern of harassment directed at subordinate workers. The complaint includes a screenshot of an allegedly inappropriate message sent by Her to an employee.
The investigation is being conducted by Cally Kjellberg-Nelson, an employment law expert at the firm Resolute Law. In a statement to NBC, Her said she had cooperated with the investigation and expected the full facts to emerge. She acknowledged that some of her attempts at humor fell short of professional standards she expects of herself. Her’s spokesperson told the Times that the mayor respects city employees and regrets any unintended impact her actions may have had, though he declined to answer questions about the ongoing inquiry.
Henry’s attorney stated that the police chief made a deliberate decision to file the complaint in order to protect city and police department employees and prevent potential retaliation against those who might speak out. Her previously served six years in the Minnesota House of Representatives before winning the mayoral election in 2025, defeating incumbent Melvin Carter in a competitive two-round race.
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