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St. Paul mayor being investigated over sexual harassment claims
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her is being investigated for sexual harassment after police chief filed complaint. FOX 9's Emily Pofahl has more.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The mayor of St. Paul is facing an investigation after being accused of making inappropriate and sexual comments toward the city’s police chief and staff.
City council response and community reaction
What we know:
Most city council members have declined to comment or go on the record about the investigation. Nelsie Yang’s office described the accusations as "serious allegations" and said Yang will evaluate the findings once the investigation is complete.
The city attorney’s office has not provided any updates on the investigation. FOX 9’s Emily Pofahl reached out to all city council members for interviews, but most have not responded or are not commenting at this time.
The investigation centers on allegations that Mayor Kaohly Her made inappropriate and sexual comments involving Police Chief Axel Henry and other city employees. Henry’s lawyer filed a formal complaint that includes a screenshot of a text message he says Her sent to a city employee. The message reportedly contains sexual innuendo, and Henry’s lawyer is now seeking data from each of Mayor Her’s phones.
Legal perspective on workplace communication
What they're saying:
"It’s just as if people think text is not real," said Sheila Engelmeier, an employment lawyer.
According to Engelmeier, even if messages are sent outside of work hours, texts and online communication with colleagues can become part of a harassment investigation.
"You send a text that you think is a late night, friend-to-friend (message), and have nothing to do with work – if that is with a work colleague, that is work," said Engelmeier.
Engelmeier did not comment specifically on Mayor Her’s case, but she advised that as a general best practice, people should avoid texting anything that could be considered inappropriate for work. Engelmeier said that rule of thumb applies to personal devices as well.
"You’re on your iPad, you’re on your cell phone, you’re on your second cell phone and your third cell phone talking about work – all of that stuff is fair game."
Mayor Her’s response and ongoing investigation
Dig deeper:
Mayor Her’s office released a statement to FOX 9 on Wednesday, saying, "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."
The investigation has been ongoing since April, and Mayor Her says she is committed to cooperating fully.
What we don't know:
It is not yet clear what specific findings the investigation will reveal, when it will conclude or what actions, if any, the city may take as a result.