Dolton, Illinois, Mayor Tiffany Henyard jumped into a fight between her boyfriend and an activist who called her a “b—-” during a heated town board meeting. (Screenshot courtesy Alicia Nichole)
A fight at a meeting of Thornton Township, the largest township in Illinois, covering 17 south suburban municipalities, on Tuesday, January 28, has turned up the heat on its Supervisor, Tiffany Henyard, whose spending as mayor of Dolton, Illinois took center stage this week. An investigation revealed that in just nine months, the Village of Dolton racked up more than $779,000 in credit card transactions.
During the Thornton Township meeting, tensions toward Henyard reached a new level when activist Jedidiah Brown exchanged blows with Henyard’s boyfriend, Kamal Woods, after Brown called Henyard a b ——.
Chaos erupted among attendees as some joined the brawl while others scrambled to leave the packed room, which was standing room only during the heated meeting.
During the incident, Henyard left her seat and headed for the fight between her boyfriend and Brown in the back of the room. It is unclear whether Henyard tried to break up the fight or participated. On Wednesday, Brown held a press conference, saying he would sue Henyard and alleging she hit him with a microphone.
The chaos has created more problems for Henyard, who is clinging to her two jobs: Thornton Township supervisor and Dolton mayor.
Residents from both entities demand her resignation, saying the problems andnegative spotlight prove her unfit to remain as their leader.
Despite calls for her resignation, Henyard is running for a second term. There is less than a month before Dolton holds its Democratic Primary on February 25.
Last week, Henyard gave a sit-down interview on radio station WVON 1590, where she compared herself to Jesus Christ and civil rights activist Rosa Parks, who would not give up her seat to a white woman in 1955.
Meanwhile, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled the final findings of her investigation into Dolton’s spending under Henyard’s administration.
On Monday at a packed Dolton meeting, Lightfoot, in a 73-page presentation, revealed that Dolton continues to suffer from excessive spending on non-essential goods and services and accused Henyard and others of trying to hide the Village’s actual financial condition from its Board of Trustees and the public.
The investigation also alleged that Henyard’s administration made efforts to prevent transparency by blocking Freedom of Information Act requests (FOIA).
“By March 2022, the trustees were effectively cut off from receiving regular financial reports,” Lightfoot said.
Perhaps the most damaging part of the investigation is the state of the Village’s finances.
Lightfoot said that in April 2022, Dolton’s general fund balance was $5.61 million. By May 2024, the balance had fallen to a deficit of $3.65 million.
Over a nine-month period, Lightfoot delved into village credit card transactions. In 2023, charges amounted to more than $779,000.
According to Lightfoot’s investigation on Amazon, more than $50,000 was spent on ice skates and artificial ice tiles for a winter rink. Lightfoot said those purchases violated Dolton’s purchasing policy. The investigation alleged that receipts for purchases using the Village’s six known credit cards were “rarely provided.”
Lightfoot said Village credit cards were used to make purchases at Amazon, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair, and other retailers.
“The report establishes the absence of competent governance and continued violations of governance norms during Mayor Henyard’s tenure,” Lightfoot said.
“The costs to taxpayers have been significant, starting with a substantial budget deficit, higher costs for basic necessities like liability insurance, and many lawsuits against the Village directly related to allegations of misconduct by Henyard and others.
“Throughout our independent inquiry, we consistently encountered a mayor and administration that evaded transparency—skirting FOIA laws, failing to provide requested documents, and otherwise refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
“The report provides a detailed accounting of gross financial mismanagement, both at the Village level and at Thornton Township, during her tenure as Supervisor, including unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, failure to comply with reporting requirements, misuse of taxpayer dollars, and failure to pay vendors. We also uncovered Village liability insurers refused to provide coverage to Mayor Henyard, which potentially exposes the village to significant legal and financial risks.
“The details in this report are significant, and we are confident the majority of Trustees will continue to take the necessary steps to safeguard the Village. We thank them, along with the residents of Dolton, for placing their confidence in our team to conduct this investigation, provide truthful insight into the Village’s financial standing, and offer recommendations to support their efforts toward improved governance.”
Henyard, the target of several lawsuits and an FBI investigation, did not attend Monday’s Village of Dolton meeting. But her attorney, Beau Brindley, released a statement in response to Lightfoot’s investigation.
“Lori Lightfoot is a failed mayor whose fiscal irresponsibility was overwhelming.
“The idea that any credibility could be given to her ‘findings’ about another mayor’s financial decisions is preposterous.
“This is an effort by a failed political figure desperately seeking the limelight to which she is no longer entitled.”