St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her says findings in harassment probe launched by police chief show claims were "unsubstantiated"

Kaohly Her, mayor of St. Paul, Minnesota, says the independent investigation into allegations against her involving sexual harassment and retaliation is now complete, adding the report found the claims were "unsubstantiated."

In July, attorney Chris Madel sent a complaint letter on behalf of St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry to the city attorney's office that accused Her of "illegal conduct towards City employees," including the use of "mobile phones to communicate inappropriate, and indeed, unlawful text messages."    

In a statement released Friday morning, Her said she's "gratified" by the findings and reiterated her full cooperation in the investigation. She also lamented how "allegations and information" in a "confidential HR investigation" was leaked to the media, adding that it "caused real harm" to her family and "the public trust."

In an email sent to WCCO on Friday, Madel said the city's human relations director, Kamaria Kassim, notified Henry on Monday that the report was completed, adding "the city will comply with relevant laws regarding the investigation and the results of the investigation."   

Madel says Henry asked for a copy of the report, which was not immediately available. WCCO has also reached out to Her's and Kassim's offices to request a copy as well as comments.

"They need to publish the report so everyone can see it – believe me, if it exonerated Her, we'd all be reading it immediately," Madel wrote. "Sunshine is the best disinfectant."

Her released a statement after the complaint first came to light, saying in part she recognized "some of my attempts at humor fell short of the standard I expect of myself." In Friday's statement, she admitted to being "too informal in my communications" and "crossed lines."

"I apologize for any discomfort I caused. I am committed to learning from this experience and leading with greater clarity, respect, and awareness," Her said. 

Her, a former state representative, defeated incumbent mayor Melvin Carter last November. She is the first woman and Asian American to lead Minnesota's capital city.

Below is Her's full statement: 

"I take my responsibilities as Mayor and as a community leader seriously. That is why I cooperated fully with the independent investigation conducted for the City of St. Paul regarding the allegations against me.

I did not respond to these allegations publicly because I respected the process initiated by the City.  I was, however, I am deeply disappointed that during the course of a confidential HR investigation allegations and information were shared with the media. Those actions caused real harm to my family and the public trust.

Now that the investigation is complete, I have received a summary of the findings, and I intend to comply with all of the recommended action steps.  I am gratified that the report finds that the allegations of sexual harassment and retaliation were unsubstantiated.

Over the first months of my administration, I faced real challenges. I have always worked to be approachable as a leader and build strong working relationships, and I attempt to connect with people to build camaraderie. As reflected in the summary of investigative findings, at times, I became too informal in my communications and crossed lines that are not consistent with the standards set forth in the City's Workplace Conduct Policy.

I apologize for any discomfort I caused. I am committed to learning from this experience and leading with greater clarity, respect, and awareness. I look forward to continuing to advance our critical efforts to make the City of St. Paul work for all our residents."

NOTE: The original airdate of the video attached to this article is Aug. 2, 2026.