St. Paul Police Chief Files Lawsuit Against Mayor Over Allegations of Sexual Harassment

<p>St. Paul, Minnesota, Mayor Kaohly Her is facing a lawsuit from Police Chief Axel Henry, who alleges that she made explicit sexual comments and engaged in harassment and retaliation against him. The lawsuit, which spans 73 pages, claims that Her made inappropriate remarks, including referring to herself as a "MILF" and making sexually suggestive comments about Henry's genitalia.</p><p>Henry, who has been the police chief since 2022, also alleges that Her made unwanted physical contact, such as placing her hand on his upper thigh during a budget meeting. The lawsuit further states that Her expressed personal issues in her marriage and suggested that she and Henry needed to maintain a close relationship for their professional interactions to succeed.</p><p>Additionally, the complaint details incidents where Her allegedly visited the police department gym when Henry was present, made comments about employees' physiques, and simulated sexual behavior during workouts. At an awards ceremony, she reportedly misinterpreted the abbreviation "MFF" on Henry's ribbon, jokingly suggesting it stood for "MILF." </p><p>The lawsuit also recounts an incident in December where Her allegedly threatened to accuse Henry of inappropriate behavior if he did not comply with her demands during a meeting at a cigar lounge. In February, after Henry and a colleague used personal vacation time at a golf simulator, Her unexpectedly arrived and remarked that she felt excluded.</p><p>Following Henry's internal complaint about Her's behavior, he claims that Her and her administration retaliated against him by excluding him from decisions and withholding records. The lawsuit states that a "sanitized" summary of an independent investigation was released to downplay Her's conduct.</p><p>Her's office stated that an independent investigation did not substantiate claims of sexual harassment or retaliation against any city employee and emphasized that the city does not comment on active litigation. Earlier this month, Her transferred her personal security detail from the St. Paul Police Department to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.</p>