When Your Denial Becomes a New Claim: The St. Paul Mayor's Lawsuit
St. Paul's police chief added a reprisal claim against Mayor Kaohly Her personally, a reminder that what an accused person says after a complaint can become a second lawsuit.
October 18, 2026 · 3 min read
By Jocelyn C. Stewart
St. Paul's police chief has added a new claim to his sexual harassment lawsuit against Mayor Kaohly Her, and this one is aimed at her personally. As Fox 9 and KSTP both report, the amended complaint adds a reprisal count against the mayor under the Minnesota Human Rights Act. For anyone accused, it is a warning about what can happen after the denial.
What is alleged. According to Fox 9 and Sahan Journal, Chief Axel Henry sued Her and the City of St. Paul in Ramsey County in September. Both outlets report he alleges sexual comments, unwanted touching at a March budget meeting and doctored photos of officers. These are allegations. No court has ruled on them.
Fox News reported on the chief's original lawsuit, which alleges sexual harassment and retaliation.
Her response. KSTP and Sahan Journal report that the mayor's office points to an outside investigation that did not substantiate harassment or retaliation claims, and says she will continue to lead the city. Fox 9, citing a Pioneer Press translation of an interview she gave in Hmong, reports she said her calls to Henry were about work matters.
An investigation is not a verdict. Reporting by KSTP and Sahan Journal shows the investigators found inappropriate workplace conduct but did not substantiate sexual harassment. That finding helps her. It does not end the lawsuit. A judge and jury decide the case under their own rules.
The new claim. Fox 9 reports the new count points to her public statements that Henry lied, statements suggesting a motive for his complaint, and his exclusion from personnel decisions. KSTP's report does not describe what the count is based on.
Why it matters to you. In Minnesota, the reprisal law reaches individuals, not only employers. What an accused person says about the accuser in public can become the basis for a second claim, separate from the first.