Dolton mayor strikes down Lightfoot investigation during village board meeting
DOLTON, Ill. — An animated meeting unfolded at Village Hall in south suburban Dolton on Monday night as residents voiced concerns about an FBI raid and allegations of a sexual assault.
Ahead of the meeting, residents gathered to call for action and among the group was the former assistant to Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, Fenia Dukes.
Dukes showed up at Village Hall, thanking community members for their support. Her appearance came only hours after she released a videotaped statement about the alleged sexual assault she claims happened a year ago on a taxpayer-funded trip to Las Vegas.
Dukes accuses community activist Andrew Holmes, a Dolton trustee and ally of Henyard, of assaulting her.
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Holmes, who has denied the allegations, has not been charged and was not at Monday’s meeting.
Dukes was put on leave and later fired after coming forward, later filing a civil lawsuit.
At one point during Monday’s meeting, tensions escalated and a shouting between Mayor Henyard and a trustee ensued.
Henyard also lashed out at former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who had been hired by trustees to spearhead a special investigation into the mayor. Henyard vetoed that appointment during Monday’s meeting.
“You know it’s veto power. So how dare you think you can come in someone’s town and start working or doing something, even though we said something, stating it’s illegal, we cited the code and everything in here, and she will not be paid for services,” Henyard said.
It all comes after the FBI served subpoenas at the Village of Dolton and Thornton Township, where Henyard is also the Supervisor.
The subpoenas name Henyard, her top aide Keith Freeman, two of her allies on the village board, the deputy police chief and a dozen others, seeking expense and employment records.
Critics accuse Mayor Henyard of using taxpayer dollars to bankroll trips to the tune of $102,000 in the past year. Henyard’s cancer charity is also facing scrutiny.
The FBI is also investigating claims that Henyard withheld construction permits and business licenses from her opponents.
As with past motions vetoed by Henyard, trustees are expected to attempt to override her with a vote on the Lightfoot issue as well. The vote would come at the next village board meeting on May, 20.
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