Tiffany Henyard investigation: Ex-Chicago mayor releases findings
Ex-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has launched the findings of her investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
DOLTON, Ailing. – Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot unveiled the findings of her months-long investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard on Monday.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, on Monday, unveiled the findings of her months-long investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s alleged misuse of taxpayer {dollars}.
Group members packed the assembly corridor, which was standing room solely, anxiously awaiting the outcomes of Lightfoot’s investigation.
There, Lightfoot walked residents by way of a 73-page presentation, which confirmed that for years, there’s been blatant disregard for the Village of Dolton’s Buying Coverage.
“Not less than as early as late 2021, there was a concerted, systematic effort on behalf of Mayor Henyard and others in her administration to cover the true monetary situation of the Village of Dolton from the trustees and from members of the general public,” Lightfoot mentioned.
Lightfoot discovered that village trustees have been deliberately stored at midnight when it got here to spending.
“By March 2022, the trustees have been successfully minimize off from receiving common monetary experiences,” Lightfoot mentioned.
Dolton residents react to background data about Tiffany Henyard at assembly
Dolton residents had robust reactions to among the background data Lightfoot gave at a particular assembly Monday evening.
What they’re saying:
Lightfoot launched the next assertion about her closing abstract of findings and suggestions:
“Right now, we launched the ultimate abstract of findings and suggestions on the investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s monetary administration of the Village of Dolton’s revenues and bills, as requested by the Village Trustees. The report particulars constant mismanagement of Village funds by way of extreme spending on non-essential items and companies, systematic makes an attempt by Mayor Henyard and others at her path to cover the true monetary situation of the Village from the Board of Trustees and the general public, in addition to different efforts to thwart efforts aimed toward transparency as mandated below the Illinois Freedom of Data Act (“FOIA”). The report establishes the absence of competent governance and continued violations of governance norms throughout Mayor Henyard’s tenure. The prices to taxpayers have been vital, beginning with a considerable finances deficit, increased prices for primary requirements like legal responsibility insurance coverage, and lots of lawsuits towards the Village instantly associated to allegations of misconduct by Henyard and others.
Lightfoot says Henyard informed worker to shade the reality
Lori Lightfoot discusses an occasion the place Tiffany Henyard allegedly informed an worker to “shade the reality.”
“All through our impartial inquiry, we constantly encountered a mayor and administration that evaded transparency—skirting FOIA legal guidelines, failing to supply requested paperwork, and in any other case refusing to cooperate with the investigation. The report offers an in depth accounting of gross monetary mismanagement, each on the Village degree and at Thornton Township, throughout her tenure as Supervisor, together with unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, failure to adjust to reporting necessities, misuse of taxpayer {dollars}, and failure to pay distributors. We additionally uncovered Village legal responsibility insurers refused to supply protection to Mayor Henyard, which probably exposes the village to vital authorized and monetary dangers.
“The main points on this report are vital, and we’re assured nearly all of Trustees will proceed to take the required steps to safeguard the Village. We thank them, together with the residents of Dolton, for putting their confidence in our crew to conduct this investigation, present truthful perception into the Village’s monetary standing, and supply suggestions to assist their efforts towards improved governance.”
Tiffany Henyard investigation: Breakdown of Dolton’s present funds
Lori Lightfoot presents her findings relating to an investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
Mayor Tiffany Henyard didn’t attend Monday’s assembly. Her lawyer, Beau Brindley, launched the next assertion to FOX 32 Chicago on Monday evening:
“Lori Lightfoot is a failed mayor whose fiscal irresponsibility was overwhelming.
“The concept any credibility may very well be given to her ‘findings’ about one other mayor’s monetary choices is preposterous.
“That is an effort by a failed political determine desperately looking for the limelight to which she is not entitled.”
Probe into Tiffany Henyard
The backstory:
Lightfoot was appointed by the Village of Dolton Board of Trustees to analyze Henyard in April of 2024. She was tasked with launching a probe into Henyard’s alleged mishandling of village funds, amongst different complaints.
Lightfoot was requested to analyze a Village of Dolton work journey to Las Vegas final yr. A former worker accused Henyard of retaliation after she claimed she was sexually assaulted by a village trustee throughout that journey and was then fired after talking up.
Henyard initially vetoed requires an investigation into herself, however she was overturned by trustees.
Lightfoot offered preliminary findings from her investigation into the village’s “dire” monetary scenario final August.
By the numbers:
The bombshell report delved into Henyard’s spending habits and her alleged misuse of taxpayer {dollars}, highlighting simply how a lot bother the village is in financially.
Lightfoot mentioned that in April 2022, Dolton’s common fund stability was $5.61 million. By Could 2024, the stability had fallen to a deficit of $3.65 million.
Over the course of 9 months, Lightfoot delved into village bank card transactions. In 2023, costs amounted to greater than $779,000.
On Amazon, greater than $50,000 was spent on ice skates and synthetic ice tiles for a winter rink; purchases that Lightfoot says weren’t made in compliance with the Buying Coverage.
In inspecting the village’s six bank cards that Lightfoot’s crew was conscious of, receipts for purchases have been “hardly ever supplied.”
Lightfoot revealed that village bank cards have been used to make purchases at Amazon, Goal, Walgreens, Wayfair, and different retailers.
Lightfoot additionally estimates that the quantity owed to distributors stays in extra of $5 million.
Moreover, Lightfoot revealed that one concession that the village needed to make “so as to get protection for the 2024-2025 interval was the cancellation of protection for Mayor Henyard.”
The findings have been launched only one month earlier than Henyard will search re-election within the Democratic Main for mayor.
In the meantime, there’s already been progress on the a part of the village trustees who employed Lightfoot. The Village of Dolton’s common fund deficit has decreased to $2.4 million, as of October 2024.
‘Tiffany should be locked up’: Dolton residents react after Lightfoot report reveals monetary disaster
To a dumbfounded crowd Thursday evening, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot offered her investigative report revealing the spending habits of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard on the expense of taxpayers.
Chaos in Dolton, Thorton Township
Dig deeper:
Henyard has stirred up controversy in each Dolton and Thornton Township, the place she was a supervisor, and is now dealing with an FBI investigation.
In Could 2024, Henyard was named in a subpoena served at Dolton Village Corridor, which requested for all funds, expense reimbursements, per diems and bank card expenditures for her, starting simply earlier than her election in 2021.
Investigators additionally requested the identical data from her prime assistant, Keith Freeman, and a pair of companies managed by Freeman in addition to a number of trustees and village workers who had traveled with Henyard.
The subpoena additionally confirmed that the FBI was wanting into complaints by Dolton enterprise house owners whose licenses have been held up by the village, asking for licensing data for 10 bars and eating places, together with two that have been raided and closed by Dolton police in February – Rinky’s Bar and Pablo’s Cafe and Bar.
RELATED: Thornton Township subpoenas reveal Tiffany Henyard is goal of felony investigation
The feds are reportedly specializing in all of the costly journey by Henyard and her crew out of state, together with top notch aircraft tickets, asking for journey data for all journeys, however specifying Washington D.C., Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon.
The FBI additionally requested for shift data for plenty of officers assigned to her element, together with officer Terry Younger, who final Could reported working 303 hours throughout a two-week interval.
The subpoena requested for data associated to Henyard’s charitable basis, which used workers and vehicles from Dolton as a part of a march to Springfield in 2022.
A federal grand jury has been conducting a felony investigation into Henyard since final November.
In all, the FBI served a complete of 5 subpoenas over a two-week interval on Dolton and Thornton Township.
READ MORE HERE: Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard named in newest FBI subpoena, data requested
