In 2026, St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her came under investigation after Police Chief Axel Henry filed a formal sexual harassment complaint alleging inappropriate conduct toward city employees, including members of the St. Paul Police Department. The complaint, dated April 1, 2026, reportedly accused Her of using one or more phones to send inappropriate messages and alleged that the conduct extended beyond isolated incidents. News reports described one alleged message involving a sexual joke and a redacted image. The allegations became public in late July 2026, when local outlets and national news organizations reported that the city had hired an outside law firm to conduct an independent investigation.
The controversy expanded when a second high-ranking police official reportedly alleged that Her created a sexualized work environment, including comments about the officer’s body and vulgar behavior in the police gym. Her responded by saying that the way the matter was being portrayed did not reflect what she understood to be mutual communication, while also acknowledging that some of her attempts at humor fell short of the professional standard she expected of herself. She said her office had cooperated with the investigation and would continue to do so. The case raised questions about workplace conduct, public transparency, and Her’s ability to govern while the investigation remained unresolved.
Key Apologia Strategies:
Minimization, Bolstering, Attacking the Accuser
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Statement from Mayor Kaohly Her:
“As Mayor, I take my responsibility to treat every employee with professionalism and respect very seriously. I recognize that some of my attempts at humor fell short of the standard I expect of myself. We have fully cooperated with the independent investigation since it began in April and will continue to do so. I respect the investigative process and believe it is important to allow it to reach its conclusion.
I remain confident that the full facts will come to light, and I will continue to focus on serving the people of St. Paul with integrity and dedication.”
