Full Breakdown
Mayor Kaohly Her’s Workplace Conduct Investigation Concludes
By Drooid · · How we work
Investigation Findings
The City of St. Paul’s Human Resources Department released a summary of an outside investigation into Mayor Kaohly Her’s conduct. The same investigation found no evidence to substantiate claims that she sexually harassed any employee, sent inappropriate text messages (aside from two employees), made sexual noises while exercising, or retaliated against staff.
Background & Context
Mayor Her, the city’s first female and Hmong mayor, was sworn in in January 2026. In March 2026, Police Chief Axel Henry filed a formal complaint alleging sexual harassment and inappropriate comments, including a “Wiener Wednesday” joke and a text message with sexual innuendo. The complaint triggered the city to hire an external firm to examine the allegations. Over the summer, media reports detailed the accusations, prompting public scrutiny of the mayor’s leadership style.
Timeline
- March 30 – City Human Resources was notified of the allegations.
- June 16 – Police Chief Henry submitted a second report alleging a possible retaliation violation.
- August 13, 2026 – Chief Henry listened to Mayor Her outline the city’s 2027 budget goals.
- Mid-September – The Resolute Law investigation concluded and a summary was sent to the mayor.
Official Statements & Responses
She apologized for any discomfort caused, expressed gratitude that the sexual-harassment allegations were unsubstantiated, and pledged to comply with the HR-recommended actions, including workplace-conduct training, hiring an executive coach at her own expense, and monthly check-ins for six months.
Verbatim Quotes
- “No amount of bureaucratic wordsmithing by the city’s HR department can make witnesses — or what they heard — disappear,” — Chris Madel, attorney
- “The city’s so-called ‘summary’ is nothing more than a sanitized, self-serving whitewash of an investigation the city refuses to let the public see,” — Chris Madel, attorney
- “They need to publish the full report so everyone can see it,” — Chris Madel, attorney
- “Among many other things, we are aware of at least [five] separate witnesses who confirm that Mayor Her made unmistakable orgasm-like noises in the St. Paul Police Department gym,” — Chris Madel, attorney
What’s Next
The HR department’s action plan requires Mayor Her to attend workplace-conduct training, retain an executive coach at her own expense, and submit to monthly compliance reviews for the next six months. No further public release of the full investigative report has been announced.