Overview
- Police Chief Axel Henry, through attorney Chris Madel, submitted a formal sexual harassment complaint to the city attorney in a letter dated April 1 that says the mayor made inappropriate sexual comments to him and other city employees.
- The complaint includes screenshots of allegedly sexual text messages — including a ‘Happy Weiner Wednesday’ message and a meme captioned about a “good weinering” — and Madel demanded the city preserve evidence and perform full filesystem extractions of the mayor’s phones while warning litigation is reasonably foreseeable.
- The City of St. Paul has retained an outside law firm reported to be Resolute Law to run an independent investigation, and Chief Henry has participated in multiple, extensive interviews with investigators.
- Mayor Kaohly Her has publicly said she is cooperating and that some attempts at humor “fell short,” while several city council members have criticized how and when they were informed and called for greater transparency.
- The probe centers on digital forensics and Minnesota public‑records and employment rules, which will shape what becomes public and whether the case leads to discipline, court action, or broader political consequences for the newly elected mayor and affected employees.