St. Paul Police Chief Files Lawsuit Against Mayor Over Allegations of Sexual Harassment

<p>St. Paul, Minnesota, Mayor Kaohly Her is facing a lawsuit filed by Police Chief Axel Henry, who alleges that she made explicit sexual comments and engaged in harassment and retaliation against him. The lawsuit, which is 73 pages long, claims that Her made inappropriate remarks, including referring to herself as a 'MILF' and making sexually suggestive comments about Henry's genitalia.</p><p>According to the complaint, Her also allegedly made unwanted physical contact with Henry, such as placing her hand on his upper thigh during a budget meeting. The suit further claims that Her expressed personal issues in her marriage and suggested that she and Henry needed to maintain a close relationship for their professional collaboration to succeed.</p><p>Henry alleges that Her frequently visited the police department gym when he was present and made comments about him and other employees, including referring to them as 'beefy' and simulating an orgasm during workouts.</p><p>During an awards ceremony, Her reportedly questioned the meaning of the Mobile Field Force ribbon Henry was wearing, jokingly suggesting it stood for 'MILF.' The lawsuit details another incident in December where Her allegedly threatened to accuse Henry of inappropriate behavior if he did not comply with her demands during a meeting.</p><p>In February, after Henry and a colleague used personal vacation time at a golf simulator, Her unexpectedly arrived and stated she had to come because they did not invite her.</p><p>Following Henry's internal complaint regarding Her's behavior, the lawsuit claims that Her and her administration retaliated against him by excluding him from decisions and withholding requested records. The lawsuit also mentions that an independent investigation did not substantiate claims of sexual harassment or retaliation against any city employee, according to Her's office.</p><p>Her's office stated that she will continue to lead Saint Paul and follow the recommendations of the report, adding that the city does not comment on active litigation. Earlier this month, Her transferred her personal security detail and driver services from the St. Paul Police Department to the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office.</p>