St. Paul officials have launched an independent investigation into allegations made against Mayor Kaohly Her after the city’s police chief filed a complaint accusing her of inappropriate conduct involving city employees.
The city hired an outside law firm to review the allegations, which were submitted by Police Chief Axel Henry through his attorney. Henry, who has served as St. Paul’s police chief since 2022, raised concerns about the mayor’s interactions with members of the police department and other city staff.
According to the complaint, Henry’s attorney said the allegations involve conduct that allegedly went beyond isolated incidents and included communications that the chief considered inappropriate. The filing requested that the city preserve relevant electronic records as part of a potential legal dispute.
One piece of evidence cited in the complaint involved an alleged text message sent by Mayor Her to a city employee that contained a joking reference involving a hot dog emoji and an accompanying internet meme. The complaint characterized the communication as inappropriate, though it did not provide additional details about other alleged messages.
Mayor Her said in a statement that she is cooperating with the investigation and expects the complete circumstances to be reviewed. She acknowledged that some attempts at humor may not have met the professional standards she expects of herself as mayor.
“As mayor, I take my responsibility to treat every employee with professionalism and respect very seriously,” Her said.
The St. Paul Police Department has declined to comment while the review is underway.
The investigation is being conducted by Resolute Law, an outside firm selected by the city. Officials have not announced a timeline for when the review will be completed.
Her, 53, became St. Paul’s first female mayor and has served in office for approximately seven months. Born in Laos, she arrived in the United States as a young child after spending time in a refugee camp. She later built a career in public service and community leadership before becoming mayor.
The allegations come after Her previously faced a separate legal dispute involving a former friend who sought a restraining order, claiming Her had sent inappropriate messages. A Ramsey County court declined to issue the order, finding that the evidence presented did not demonstrate threats or harassment.
The current investigation is expected to determine whether any city policies or workplace standards were violated. Officials have not announced whether disciplinary action will be considered or what steps may follow after the review is complete.
