Unexplained purchases, lots of overtime lead to deficit in Dolton
DOLTON, Ill. — Chicago’s former Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who was hired to investigate Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, presented her findings Thursday in an ongoing investigation into Dolton’s finances and Henyard, a south suburban politician mired in scandalous allegations.
“I know how I felt when I started seeing some of these numbers so, I can imagine how all of you are feeling after all this time in the dark,” Lightfoot said.
Trustees on the Dolton village board hired Lightfoot after months of chaotic meetings, in which they accused Henyard of recklessly spending tax dollars on herself and her entourage.
The investigation found the small south suburb went from a surplus two years ago, to a nearly $5-and-a-half million deficit Thursday.
Lightfoot told a packed crowd she’s only been able to review some, but not all, credit card spending.
“We want to highlight a couple of credit card purchases,” Lightfoot said, to audible gasps from the crowd. “You’re having the same reaction that we did when we saw this.”
Lightfoot questioned three Amazon purchases in a single day that totaled more than $43,000, an unexplained Wayfair purchase of $7,699, along with PayPal money transfers and gift cards, all charged to the village.
Lightfoot also noted Henyard’s well-documented taste for travel, paid for by both the village, and Thornton Township.
WGN Investigates uncovered $67,000 in unexplained travel in just four months by Henyard and her allies. Some of it was first class, and included a more than $9,000 stay at a Four Seasons hotel.
MORE DETAILS: Tiffany Henyard’s admin spent $100K on travel
Henyard’s former chief of staff in Dolton, Nakita Cloud, told us last January, the mayor spent taxpayer money freely.
“Over the top meals! Lobster, crab legs, she likes the good stuff,” Cloud said at the time.
“When you were with her at those meals, was government business discussed?” WGN Investigates’ Ben Bradley asked.
“No,” Cloud replied.
Over previous months, Henyard has frequently shouted down her critics, claiming she’s the “leader.“
“I ran to lead. You guys keep telling me what to do. We not going to do that,” Henyard could be heard saying at an Aug. 5 village board meeting.
But as we found out last year, she quickly clams up when questions turn toward her spending.
Subpoenas reveal Tiffany Henyard & her allies are FBI focus
“I do not handle anything as it relates to credit cards. As you heard me to speak today in my board meeting, I do not handle that,” Henyard told Bradley in her one and only interview with WGN News back in Nov. 2023.
“Some of those charges are for you, though,” Bradley replied.
“No, sir,” Henyard responded.
“You didn’t go to Las Vegas?” Bradley asked.
“…No comment,” Henyard replied.
“You don’t know if you were in Las Vegas?” Bradley followed up with.
“Of course I do,” Henyard said.
“Were you?” Bradley asked.
“It’s not paid by them,” Henyard replied.
Faced with outraged residents, a mutiny on the Dolton village board and an ongoing federal investigation, these days, the self-proclaimed “Super Mayor” is letting a criminal defense attorney do most of her talking.
“[Keith Freeman]’s your top aide, why are you trying to fire him?” Jenna Barnes asked Henyard and her defense attorney, Beau Brindley, Monday.
“He just stated the rules. That’s why I’m going to have you talk to the lawyer,” Henyard said.
Dolton mayor Tiffany Henyard’s control wanes as trustees halt spending on village credit cards
Lightfoot’s investigation found the village now has a bill backlog totaling nearly $6 million, and layoffs have already begun in Dolton.
What’s more, one of the trustees who hired Lightfoot to investigate Henyard, is now running to replace her in next year’s mayoral election.
Here is a PDF file of the slides presented by Lightfoot on Thursday:
Dolton-8.8.24-Final-Preliminary-Financial-PresentationDownload
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