St. Paul City Council hires another outside law firm amid lawsuit against city, mayor
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The St. Paul City Council has approved spending more money on outside law firms, stemming from the lawsuit that Police chief Axel Henry filed against the city and Mayor Kaohly Her.
Last week, the City Council grudgingly approved hiring the law firm Fisher Phillips at a rate of up to $500 per hour to defend the city and the mayor in the lawsuit.
At the time, City Council President Rebecca Noecker said she “would rather be spending money on literally anything else right now.”
Now this week, the council approved hiring another outside law firm. That firm, Greene Espel, is being asked to issue a “determination of indemnity and defense” of the mayor — in other words, a determination on whether the city is required to pay the mayor’s ongoing legal fees stemming from the lawsuit.
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That law firm’s rate is up to $325 per hour, which the City Council resolution said is a discounted rate for the public sector.
Noecker said last week that the legal costs will be taken out of the city’s general fund as the city faces a budget deficit.
The police chief’s lawsuit alleges he was subject to sexual harassment and retaliation. There has not been a court hearing set yet on that case.
Those claims were also the subject of an outside investigation commissioned by the city. It found that Her engaged in “offensive and inappropriate behavior” with city workers and created an “uncomfortable work environment,” but that she did not sexually harass or retaliate against anyone.
