(NewsNation) — Politician Tiffany Henyard, the current mayor of the village of Dolton, Ill. who just announced her reelection bid, has faced myriad controversies during her tenure in the Chicago suburb.
Accusations range from opponent sabotage to misuse of taxpayer dollars, with the embattled elected official at the center of it all.
Who is Tiffany Henyard?
Henyard is both the supervisor of the largest township in Illinois, Thornton Township and the mayor of Dolton, Ill. Both towns are located roughly 30 miles from bustling Chicago.
Henyard, who calls herself a “supermayor” because of her dual positions, grew up in the area.
According to her bio on the city’s website, Henyard was elected in 2021 with 82% of the vote, making her the “village of Dolton’s first and youngest woman mayor in the village’s 130-year history.”
She’s also likely the most controversial mayor ever elected in the town of 20,000, with the two governments under control racking up expenditures on fine dining, first-class travel, an armed security detail and more.
Politics aside, she also runs the Tiffany Henyard Cares Foundation, a cancer charity which has garnered criticism for its inability to show how it helps cancer patients.
Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s controversies
Henyard faces many allegations, but some of the most damning include spending tax dollars on her own lifestyle, throwing lavish parties with community resources and retaliating against those who go against her or her allies.
Henyard, her political committee, her cancer charity, her boyfriend, two of her relatives, four trustees who are allies, her deputy police chief and even her defunct burger business have all been named in the FBI subpoenas regarding financial mismanagement in the town.
Most recently, Henyard has come under fire for an $85,000 party backed by taxpayer funds and named after “Friends of Tiffany A. Henyard,” her campaign fund.
Trustees in both Thornton and Dolton attempted to prevent public money being used for the festivities, which included flying in R&B singer Keke Wyatt and rapper J. Holiday for a mini-concert for the “Taste of Thornton Township.”
“Let me make sure I’m crystal clear about this: I ain’t never took a goddamn thing in my life,” Henyard told Facebook viewers during a livestream from the outdoor gathering.
Henyard has defended her taxpayer-funded events as important to the community, saying “this is all for the babies” in a Facebook video taken at one of them. Residents don’t believe her.
“I was flabbergasted,” said Lansing resident Jennifer Robertz. “I was pissed off. That’s my money. That’s the people’s money.”
The extravagant party and its backlash is far from the first public outcry about Henyard’s spending.
Lori Lightfoot investigates Henyard
In August, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, a lawyer, was hired to investigate Henyard after years of chaotic meetings and accusations from her constituents.
Lightfoot’s findings, released in August 2024, included exorbitant spending that landed the village in a nearly $5.5 million deficit. Just two years before, Dolton had been in a surplus.
Charges to the village included:
- Three Amazon purchases – all made in a single day – totaling $43,000
- A $7,699 Wayfair purchase
- PayPal money transfers and gift cards
NewsNation local affiliate WGN also uncovered pricey travel expenses of $67,000 over four months by Henyard and her allies. Some of the expenditures included first-class airfare and a $9,000 stay at a Four Seasons hotel.
Only after our affiliate sued Henyard did her office release spending records from July to November 2023. Travel expenses from Henyard’s “conferences” tallied up to nearly $70,000, with $20,000 spent in Texas alone.
Besides the travel, other notable Dolton credit card charges include:
- $24,778 at retailers such as Wal-Mart and Target
- $14,425 at Amazon
- $5,009 at Uber Eats and local restaurants
- $3,491 for Henyard’s personal photographer
Henyard’s three vehicles also cost residents more than $374,000.
One of Henyard’s top aides, Keith Freeman, has been charged in federal court with bankruptcy fraud.
Another aide, former acting police deputy chief Lewis Lacey, was indicted in August on bankruptcy fraud charges for collecting more than $200,000 in overtime during the previous four fiscal years.
Butting heads: Henyard vs. trustees
The ongoing power struggle has stayed mostly between Henyard, the village’s trustees and other community leaders.
Trustee Carmen Carlisle, who used to be Henyard’s assistant, sent an email to WGN breaking her silence about the mayor’s alleged wrongdoings.
“I am standing up, not just for myself, but for others who have been affected by what I see as Henyard’s abusive leadership,” Carlisle’s statement said. “I believe there are many more victims who have been retaliated against, fired or lied to by Henyard, but have yet to speak out.”
In front of a packed audience at an August meeting, Henyard responded by saying: ““I think I’m going to get you a new nickname: ‘Lyin’ Carlisle.”
“I’m tired of everyone in here,” Henyard said. “There always has to be a show.”
Residents have also been caught in the cross-fire.
What’s next for Dolton?
Trustees have instituted layoffs and say they’re now crafting their own budget to try to get the village’s finances in order.
Henyard filed a lawsuit last week against a majority of the village’s trustees, alleging that one of the meetings held at the Dolton Park District was illegal.
Henyard announced on social media Tuesday that she is running for a second term.
“So again the time is now to run for office,” she wrote, also using the hashtag “IStandWithTiff.”
Meanwhile, Dolton’s mayor pro-tem Trustee Jason House plans to run for mayor, so far Henyard’s only challenger in the February Democratic primary. House supported Henyard in her 2021 election. The deadline for election filings is Oct. 28.
If defeated in the mayoral election, House would be off the Village Board because his position is up for reelection as well.
Comments on Henyard’s reelection announcement varied from support to opposition.
“Tiffany is going to win. She’s the incumbent. The opposing slate has no chance,” one Facebook user wrote.
“Only place your (sic) going is jail,” another commented.
“Y’all must have some good weed up there cuz I can’t think of any reason y’all would vote for this lady after all she’s done to bankrupt her town,” yet another user posted.
Someone else questioned why Henyard isn’t in federal prison.
But the incumbent mayor also has an equal amount of support.
“You should run for Governor of Illinois. I’ll vote for you,” someone said.
Another: “Praying you win reelection there’s nobody else cares like you do even if I’m not from Dolton I see the good you do for those that do live there.”
NewsNation’s Ashley Soriano and NewsNation’s local Chicago affiliate WGN contributed to this report.