The Illinois village of Dolton has voted to hire former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to investigate its current leader, Tiffany Henyard, who is accused of misusing taxpayer funds and engaging in corrupt practices. Lightfoot, who lost her bid for reelection last year, expressed that she is honored to take on this investigation and believes in the importance of good governance and transparency in public service. She stated that the residents of Dolton deserve a government that is accountable, responsive, transparent, and effective in managing taxpayer dollars.
The village board voted to hire Lightfoot at a special meeting held at an offsite park district facility rather than the Dolton Village Hall. Lightfoot will be providing periodic updates to the board on the investigation into Henyard’s alleged misconduct and lavish spending. She will be paid $400 per hour for her services. The decision to hire Lightfoot came after four board members proposed bringing her on as additional legislative counsel to investigate Henyard. This investigation originated from a tax-funded trip to Las Vegas in May 2023, where Henyard allegedly failed to report any developments to the Board of Trustees.
The allegations against Henyard include misusing federal COVID-19 relief funds, hiring contractors without proper bids, overpaying vendors without board approval, and accepting large campaign contributions from vendors selected by her. Additionally, there are allegations of a cover-up regarding sexual assault allegations made by a former employee against a board trustee during the trip to Las Vegas. The board is seeking a thorough investigation into all aspects of the trip, including expenditures, misconduct, and internal investigations.
Dolton residents have expressed concerns about Henyard’s leadership, including extravagant billboards bearing her face across town and the perceived militarization of local police against her political opponents. The board has accused Henyard of using village funds for personal expenses and has requested financial documents from her administration without success. Henyard vetoed a resolution passed by the board to open the probe into the village’s financial records, further exacerbating the situation.
In addition to the investigation by Lori Lightfoot, the FBI is reportedly looking into Henyard’s alleged misuse of taxpayer funds, particularly related to police overtime payments for her personal security detail and delaying licenses for certain businesses. Despite these investigations and mounting allegations, Henyard has refused to step down from her position as the mayor of Dolton. The community and the board continue to push for accountability, transparency, and a thorough review of the village’s financial practices to ensure that taxpayer funds are being managed ethically and responsibly.
