Yes, Minneapolis’s mayor, Jacob Frey, is an Ethics Villain to be sure, but St. Paul’s DEI mayor, Kaohly Her, is both unethical and ludicrous.

First, a digression: is it racist and sexist for me to designate an elected official “DEI” just because the individual is female, Asian, and a Laotian immigrant? Yes, except that 1) this female Asian is also bonkers, and obviously so and 2) this in the Twin Cities, Ground Zero for The Great Stupid. Her is a double “first,” meaning that this irrelevancy got her votes in wokism-addled Minnesota (to sensible people, being the “first” is irrelevant to whether one is the best) and her record as a state legislator screams diversity, equity and inclusion. She was a member of the Minnesota Asian Pacific (MAP) Caucus and the House People of Color and Indigenous (POCI) Caucus. She has advocated more diversity within departments, and supported a state House resolution to declare racism a public health emergency. She’s no dummy, certainly, with an impressive educational background and an impressive career in finance behind her. She’s just certifiable.

Normally, I would be inclined to be a fan of the Mayor because of her obvious Abbott and Costello parody potential (“Who’s the mayor?” “Her!” “Who?” “He’s on first…”). Unfortunately, she is approaching new records in the particular form of ethical misconduct I view as most disturbing in high offices, sexual harassment, followed by head-exploding excuse-making.

Her wrote text messages to Shirly (not a typo!) Yang in the spring of 2025, while serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives, that were later offered as exhibits in support of a Yang’s petition for harassment restraining order. She alleged that Her (“Who?”) engaged in a pattern of unwanted communications, intimidation and interference in Yang’s personal and professional lives. But the same month Her was sworn in as St. Paul’s first female and first Asian mayor, a Ramsey County court referee denied Yang’s petition, finding that the evidence did not meet the legal standard required to issue a harassment restraining order.

But now Her faces a separate investigation into allegations of sexual harassment following a complaint filed by St. Paul Police Chief Axel Henry. Chief Henry alleges that the mayor sexually harassed subordinate city employees, including members of the St. Paul Police Department. In an April letter, Henry wrote that he decided to become a formal complainant after learning the alleged misconduct extended beyond isolated incidents. A letter by his attorney to St. Paul City Attorney Irene Kao alleges that Her sent “inappropriate, and, indeed, unlawful” text messages to city employees. That letter states Henry came forward because he believed employees could face retaliation if the alleged conduct went unaddressed and said his decision to file the complaint was based solely on principle as well as concern for city employees.

The Chief’s attorney included a screenshot of a text message by the mayor referencing “Weiner Wednesday” alongside a partially redacted image with an accompanying caption that reads: “When she wraps you up in her blanket after you gave her a good weinering,” followed by two laughing emojis.

Yikes.