St. Paul Mayor Sued by Police Chief Over Harassment Claims
The mayor of St. Paul, a Democrat who previously stated she feels “illegal in this country,” is facing a lawsuit from her own police chief amid serious allegations of sexual harassment. Current court documents indicate that Police Chief Axel Henry claims the mayor has initiated a retaliatory campaign against him.
On Wednesday, Chief Henry filed the lawsuit against Mayor Kaohly Her, citing incidents of alleged inappropriate behavior, sexual harassment, and retaliation, according to reports from NBC News.
Mayor Her, 53, is accused of creating “a hostile and demeaning environment” for the police chief’s team, including sending a meme that made reference to “good weinering,” a term related to sexual intercourse that is often misspelled.
In the lawsuit, it’s reported that Her made “unwanted and nonconsensual physical contact” when she placed her hand on Henry’s upper thigh during a budget meeting, not just once, but twice. This incident was allegedly witnessed by Assistant Chief Paul Ford.
Furthermore, during a police academy graduation on February 19, 2026, the mayor reportedly asked Chief Henry why a fellow officer’s ribbon bar was “bigger.” The lawsuit describes the comment as potentially having a sexual connotation, suggesting Her was insinuating about the size of Henry’s anatomy.
Witnesses have also indicated that at the police department gym, Her made exaggerated sounds during workouts, which some officers interpreted as being intentionally sexualized.
In January 2026, Mayor Her allegedly edited images to superimpose the faces of Henry and other department members onto the bodies of famous personalities and athletes, often highlighting their physical attributes in a provocative way. These edited pictures were displayed around the police department, sometimes in areas visible to the public, instigating comments from officers who felt it could offend their spouses.
It’s alleged that Her printed these altered images and framed them, while also replacing her own headshot on various official command portraits and department awards. She reportedly criticized Chief Henry for not finding humor in the doctored images.
In a previous incident involving the St. Paul Port Authority President at a cigar lounge, Her supposedly threatened that if her requests weren’t met, she would make a false accusation of sexual misconduct against him.
In April, Henry had already filed a complaint with the city attorney regarding “inappropriate and unlawful text messages” he received from the mayor. Three months into her term, these issues prompted an investigation into her conduct.
The lawsuit claims Her’s administration retaliated against Henry rather than addressing his complaints, asserting violations against the Minnesota Whistleblower Act. Following the filing of a HR complaint, Henry alleges he experienced exclusion from personnel decisions and a lack of professional advancement.
While an investigation pinned some of Her’s behaviors as offensive and inappropriate, it concluded that she had not sexually harassed anyone, nor retaliated against specific individuals according to a recent summary released weeks after the lawsuit.
A spokesperson for Mayor Her stated that the investigation did not confirm allegations of sexual harassment or retaliation, affirming her commitment to leading St. Paul in accordance with report recommendations.
Chief Henry’s attorney expressed his commitment to proving their case in court, asserting that they expect all relevant evidence to be presented transparently.
Henry is seeking the release of the complete report on the investigation and demands a jury trial to address claims for damages related to loss of income, emotional distress, humiliation, and reputational harm.
Interestingly, Mayor Her had previously acknowledged her own illegal status in the country, stating on the House floor that both she and her parents were unauthorized immigrants.
