St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry has formally accused Mayor Kaohly Her of sexual harassment toward him and other city employees, citing messages that included a "Happy Weiner Wednesday" text and a lewd photo. Attorney Chris Madel sent an April 1 letter to City Attorney Irene Kao demanding preservation and extraction of data from the mayor's phones and warning that litigation is "reasonably foreseeable." The city has hired an outside law firm to investigate; Mayor Her says she is cooperating and acknowledged some jokes "fell short." The probe is ongoing.
St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her Accused Of Sexual Harassment Over 'Happy Weiner Wednesday' Messages
‘Happy Weiner Wednesday!’: Minnesota mayor accused of sexually harassing city’s police chief and other staff
St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry has accused Mayor Kaohly Her of sexual harassment toward him and other city employees, prompting a formal complaint and an independent investigation.
Allegations And Evidence
In an April 1 letter to St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao, attorney Chris Madel wrote that the city had been put on notice that "Mayor Kaohly Her has engaged in illegal conduct towards city employees." The letter reportedly included a screenshot of a text message allegedly sent by Mayor Her that read:
The police chief has accused St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her of sexual harassment, including sending a message wishing a 'Happy Weiner Wednesday!' (Getty)
"Happy Weiner Wednesday! Wish I was having a [hot dog emoji] with you all on 6 today!"
Below that message in the screenshot was a partially redacted photograph of a swaddled infant captioned, "When she wraps you up in her blanket after you gave her a good weinering," followed by laughing emojis. Local reporting indicates the redacted portion covered the face of a St. Paul police officer, with that officer's face superimposed on the baby's image.
Investigation And Response
Chief Henry's attorney says the chief filed a formal complaint after learning the mayor's conduct had gone beyond isolated incidents and included sexualized communications and alleged unwanted physical contact directed at subordinate city employees, including members of the St. Paul Police Department. The attorney demanded the city immediately preserve and extract data from Mayor Her's phones and warned that litigation is "reasonably foreseeable."
St. Paul has been put on notice that Mayor Kaohly Her 'has engaged in illegal conduct towards city employees,' a lawyer for Police Chief Axel Henry said (Getty Images)
The city has retained an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. Mayor Her — elected last fall as St. Paul’s first woman mayor — issued a statement saying she takes responsibility for treating employees with professionalism and respect, acknowledged some attempts at humor "fell short of the standard I expect of myself," and said her office is cooperating with the independent review.
Context And Next Steps
Local reporting notes that some employees refer to a weekly practice as "Weiner Wednesdays," when a civilian worker brings hot dogs for certain police staffers. Madel also highlighted Chief Henry's recent policing work, noting the chief helped solve a triple homicide in under four hours and remains focused on public safety.
The independent investigation is ongoing, and the city and involved parties say they will await its findings. The attorney's letter, media inquiries, and the prospect of litigation mean municipal leadership and procedures are under close scrutiny as the probe proceeds.
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