St. Paul Mayor Her dodges harassment questions at Grand Ave event as probe continues
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her declined to answer questions about an ongoing sexual harassment investigation Thursday at the Grand Victoria mixed-use project groundbreaking on Grand Avenue, saying she did not want to be "distracted." FOX 9
After the ceremony, Her was quickly escorted away by staff and did not remain to socialize or take questions.[1] City Council President Rebecca Noecker praised Her at the event, saying the city is "so lucky" to have her leading it.[1]
An independent investigation by an outside law firm into the complaint has been underway since April, earlier reporting said.[2] The probe stems from a complaint by Police Chief Axel Henry that reportedly includes a text message with sexual innuendo sent to a city employee.[1] Henry's attorney has sought data from each of Mayor Her's phones as part of the inquiry, and Her has previously said some attempts at humor "fell short" while pledging full cooperation.[2] Many council members have declined to comment.[3] Ward 3 Council Member Saua Jost said she is deeply concerned and warned the controversy distracts from recent homicides and a $26 million budget gap.[3] Ward 4 Council Member Molly Coleman called the allegations "serious," demanded answers and criticized the administration for not briefing the council before hiring the outside firm.[3]
Show source details & analysis (4 sources)
📌 Key Facts
- An independent investigation by an outside law firm into Mayor Kaohly Her’s alleged sexual harassment has been underway since April, according to FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul (reported Wednesday, July 29, 2026).
- In her first substantive public statement, Mayor Kaohly Her acknowledged some attempts at humor “fell short of the standard I expect of myself,” pledged full cooperation and said she is confident “the full facts will come to light” (reported Wednesday, July 29, 2026 by FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul).
- The probe stems from a complaint by Police Chief Axel Henry that, per reporting on Thursday, August 6, 2026, alleges a text message with sexual innuendo was sent by Her to a city employee and is being investigated by an outside law firm.
- Chief Axel Henry’s attorney is seeking data from each of Mayor Her’s phones as part of the investigation, and independent employment-law experts told reporters that texts and online messages between colleagues — even off-hours and on personal devices — are typically treated as workplace communications in harassment probes (FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul, reported July 29, 2026).
- Many St. Paul City Council members have refused public comment; responses that were reported include Council Member Nelsie Yang’s office calling the accusations “serious allegations” and Ward 3 Council Member Saua Jost saying she is deeply concerned and that the controversy is distracting from recent homicides, looming encampment closures and a $26 million budget gap (reported Friday, July 31, 2026).
- Ward 4 Council Member Molly Coleman has called the allegations “serious,” demanded answers from external investigators and publicly criticized the mayor’s administration for not briefing the council before hiring the outside law firm, saying “transparency moving forward is non-negotiable” (reported Friday, July 31, 2026).
- Police Chief Axel Henry sent an internal letter telling officers and staff to respect the investigative process, refrain from speculation and stay focused on their mission during the probe (reported Friday, July 31, 2026 by St. Paul city council members weigh in on Mayor Her sexual harassment investigation).
- At the Grand Victoria mixed-use project groundbreaking on Grand Avenue on Thursday, August 6, 2026, Mayor Kaohly Her declined to address the allegations — saying she wanted to focus on the project and not be “distracted” — was quickly escorted away by staff after the ceremony and did not remain to socialize or take further questions; St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker publicly praised Her at the event (Grand Victoria mixed-use project).
📰 Source Timeline (4)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
August 07, 2026
2:16 AM
Mayor Kaohly Her declines to address sexual harassment allegations at St. Paul event
New information:
- Mayor Kaohly Her made her first public appearance since sexual harassment allegations became public, attending a groundbreaking for the Grand Victoria mixed-use project on Grand Avenue.
- When pressed about the allegations, Her explicitly declined to discuss them, saying she wanted to focus on the project and not be "distracted" by the investigation.
- St. Paul City Council President Rebecca Noecker publicly praised Her at the same event, saying the city is "so lucky" to have her as leader and that the city is "in such good hands."
- After the ceremony, Her’s staff quickly removed her from the site and she did not remain to socialize or take further questions.
- The article reiterates that an independent investigation by an outside law firm is underway into a complaint from Police Chief Axel Henry, including a text message with sexual innuendo allegedly sent by Her to a city employee.
July 31, 2026
3:26 PM
St. Paul city council members weigh in on Mayor Her sexual harassment investigation
New information:
- Ward 3 Council Member Saua Jost issued a statement saying she is deeply concerned about the allegations, stressed city employees’ right to a safe workplace, and complained the controversy is distracting from four recent homicides, looming encampment closures and a $26 million budget gap.
- Ward 4 Council Member Molly Coleman called the allegations "serious," demanded answers from external investigators, and said the public needs clarity on whether the mayor–police department relationship has compromised or could compromise public safety.
- Coleman publicly criticized the mayor’s administration for failing to inform the council about the allegations and the hiring of an outside law firm, saying the council instead learned of both from media reports and that "transparency moving forward is non-negotiable."
- Police Chief Axel Henry sent an internal letter telling officers and staff to respect the investigative process, refrain from speculation, and stay focused on their mission despite the investigation.
- The article reiterates that Henry’s lawyer is seeking data from each of Mayor Her’s phones and that the outside firm was retained without prior council briefing.
July 30, 2026
12:32 AM
St. Paul Mayor Her says 'humor fell short' amid probe into alleged sexual comments
New information:
- Confirms that an independent investigation into Mayor Kaohly Her’s alleged sexual harassment has been underway since April.
- Reports that most St. Paul City Council members are refusing public comment, with Council Member Nelsie Yang’s office characterizing the accusations as “serious allegations.”
- Adds Mayor Her’s first substantive public statement on the matter, in which she admits some of her attempts at humor “fell short of the standard I expect of myself” while pledging full cooperation and confidence that “the full facts will come to light.”
- Details that Chief Axel Henry’s attorney is seeking data from each of the mayor’s phones as part of the probe, underscoring the scope of requested evidence.
- Includes independent employment-law perspective noting that texts and online messages between colleagues—even off-hours and on personal devices—are typically considered workplace communications in harassment investigations.
July 29, 2026