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The city of St. Paul is in the kind of political mess that doesn’t clean up itself. Police Chief Axel Henry has formally accused Mayor Kaohly Her of sending vulgar, sexually suggestive messages to city staff, and the city has hired an outside law firm to investigate. This is more than gossip at city hall — the chief’s lawyer demanded a full forensic extraction of the mayor’s phones and warned that litigation is “reasonably foreseeable.” That’s a lot of firepower for a few bad jokes.
What the complaint and investigation actually say
Chief Henry put his name on a formal complaint delivered by his attorney. The complaint includes a screenshot of an alleged text that reads, in part, “Happy Weiner Wednesday!” and a sexually suggestive meme. The city’s private investigator, Resolute Law, was retained to run an independent inquiry. Most importantly, the chief’s counsel demanded immediate preservation — a full filesystem extraction of Mayor Her’s mobile devices — which is the legal equivalent of slamming the courthouse door shut on any lost or deleted evidence.
Why the preservation demand matters
When a lawyer asks for a full forensic pull of phones, they are not playing games. That step signals serious intent to litigate and to use digital evidence in court. It also puts the city on notice: officials must preserve texts, photos, videos, emails and deleted files. If the accusations are true, they raise questions about workplace safety, abuse of power, and whether employees felt pressured or afraid to speak up. If they’re false, the mayor should welcome a quick, transparent clearing of her name rather than hiding behind silence.
Questions the city must answer now
The public deserves clarity: Did City Attorney Irene Kao acknowledge receipt and take interim steps to protect staff? Has the mayor’s security detail been reassigned while the probe continues? Will witnesses be protected from retaliation? Will Resolute Law disclose its scope and timeline? Above all, will the investigation be independent in fact and not stacked to protect political allies? Voters and city employees both need to know that the probe will be fair and thorough — not a cover-up thinly disguised as due process.
Bottom line: accountability, not theater
There are two basic truths here. First, sexual harassment in any workplace must be taken seriously and investigated fully. Second, political office doesn’t give anyone a free pass for crude behavior or potential legal exposure. Mayor Her owes the city transparency and cooperation with the probe. Chief Henry made a painful choice to step forward; St. Paul leaders must ensure the inquiry is swift, independent, and consequential. If the evidence supports the claims, the mayor should be held to the same standard as any city employee — and if the evidence clears her, that should happen in the light of day, pronto. Either way, no one benefits from more secrecy or spin — just clean answers and real accountability.
