An outside investigation found the mayor violated workplace rules and made staff uncomfortable, yet she remains in charge of the very people she unsettled.
Story Snapshot
- The police chief sued the mayor, alleging sexualized comments, touching, and retaliation.
- An independent probe found “offensive and inappropriate” conduct but not legal harassment.
- Investigators interviewed 11 people and reviewed about 55,000 texts from the mayor’s phones.
- The mayor admits crossing lines but denies harassment and plans to stay in office.
What Sparked The Lawsuit And Why It Matters
Police Chief Axel Henry filed a lawsuit against Saint Paul Mayor Kaohly Her in September 2026. He alleged the mayor made sexual comments, touched his leg, and then retaliated after he complained. This pits the city’s top cop against the city’s top elected leader. It also raises trust questions for residents. People expect fair rules at work and at City Hall. When the city’s leaders are the focus of a conduct fight, faith in basic fairness takes a hit.
The mayor’s office said an independent investigation did not back the harassment or retaliation claims. The mayor said she will keep leading the city. She also apologized for becoming “too informal” and crossing lines in her communications. That mix of denial and apology creates tension. Many readers hear two messages at once: no legal violation, but yes to behavior that made staff uncomfortable. That split fuels concern about standards for public servants.
What The Independent Investigation Found
The city hired outside counsel to probe the complaints. The final report concluded the mayor “engaged in offensive and inappropriate behavior” and created an “uncomfortable work environment,” but that the conduct did not meet the legal definition of sexual harassment or retaliation under city policy. The investigators interviewed the mayor, the chief, and nine others. They also reviewed more than 55,000 text messages from the mayor’s city and personal phones, giving the probe a large record base.
Report language matters here. Many people hear “not harassment” and think “no problem.” But the report also found policy violations and unprofessional conduct. That tells a more complicated story. The chief’s most vivid claims, like under-table touching and sexual noises, still appear mainly in the lawsuit and news summaries. Those points have not all been confirmed by the city’s report as sexual harassment, even as it flagged other boundary issues.
Dueling Accounts And The Open Questions
The mayor denied sexual harassment and said the texts were attempts at humor that fell short of her own standards. She has said she may have touched the chief’s leg but not in a sexual way, adding that people in the department are physically affectionate with her. The chief claims the contact and comments were sexual and unwanted, and that retaliation followed his complaint. The investigation did not substantiate the legal claims of harassment or retaliation, keeping those questions alive for court.
A police chief is suing his own mayor, alleging sexual harassment, unwanted touching and retaliation after he complained.
St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry claims Mayor Kaohly Her called herself a "MILF," made sexually suggestive remarks about his body and placed her hand on his… pic.twitter.com/wIJvN5jJbf
— Mike Netter (@nettermike) September 27, 2026
For residents, the gap between “inappropriate” and “illegal” is the core problem. City Hall expects rank-and-file workers to follow rules or face discipline. When leaders violate policies but stay in office, people on the left and right see a double standard. That feeds a broader belief that the powerful play by softer rules. Faith in fair government weakens when facts show clear boundary crossing yet no leadership change or formal sanction follows.
How This Fits The Bigger Picture Of Workplace Law
Public-sector harassment cases often hinge on repeated conduct, the impact on work conditions, and any blowback after a complaint. Courts and investigators also separate unprofessional behavior from legally actionable harassment. That legal line can be narrow and complex. Federal guidance on retaliation stresses that adverse actions tied to protected complaints are prohibited, yet proof requires a clear link and real harm, which can be hard to show quickly.
That gap between policy breaches and legal findings makes communication vital. Clear next steps can rebuild trust. The city can release as much of the record as allowed, set training and conduct rules for leaders, and explain any discipline short of removal. The lawsuit will test claims under oath. Until then, residents need two reassurances: that facts will come out, and that workplace rules apply to everyone, including the person in the corner office.
Sources:
twincities.com, cbsnews.com, foxnews.com, startribune.com, sahanjournal.com, axios.com
