St Paul’s city council has met behind closed doors to discuss a sexual harassment lawsuit brought by police chief Axel Henry against mayor Kaohly Her, amid calls for the full findings of an independent investigation to be made public.
The private session was held on Wednesday, 30 September, under Minnesota’s open-meetings law to discuss the pending case in Ramsey County District Court. A separate public meeting was scheduled to consider the appointment of outside lawyers to represent Ms Her.
Mr Henry alleges that the mayor subjected him to unwanted touching, inappropriate sexual comments and retaliation after he raised concerns about her conduct. The allegations have not been tested in court and Ms Her has not admitted wrongdoing.
An investigation commissioned by the city found insufficient evidence to substantiate claims of sexual harassment or retaliation, according to a summary released by the city’s human resources department. It did, however, conclude that the mayor had engaged in behaviour described as offensive and inappropriate.
Calls to release full investigation report
The complete investigation report has not been published. Council members Molly Coleman and Saura Jost have called for its release, arguing that residents should be able to see the evidence behind the city’s conclusions.
The council said the mayor and her administration must show they can continue to run the city and maintain working relationships with all departments, including the St Paul Police Department, while the legal dispute continues.
City officials have declined to comment on the substance of the active litigation. A spokesperson for Ms Her said she would continue to lead St Paul and follow the recommendations arising from the investigation.
The council was also considering whether to appoint Fisher Phillips as special counsel for the mayor. The city attorney’s office has identified a potential conflict in representing both Ms Her and the city, which is also named as a defendant.
The proposed resolution sets the outside firm’s fees at no more than $500 an hour, with the cost to be paid from the city’s operating budget. The council’s decision was not immediately available after the meeting.
