Posted on: August 17, 2024, 11:24h.
Final up to date on: August 17, 2024, 11:24h.
Tiffany Henyard, the self-described “supermayor” of Dolton and the supervisor of Thornton Township, the second most populated township in Illinois, has been reduce off by the state comptroller’s workplace.
Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza stated Friday that the state is freezing $135,000 owed to the Village of Dolton till Henyard turns into clear about her spending of taxpayer cash. Henyard is below federal investigation for reckless and lavish spending on private issues on the village’s dime.
Amongst her many questionable bills was a first-class roundtrip to Las Vegas final yr the place she ran up over $10,000 in on line casino resort, resort room, and eating bills. Mendoza stated she’s withholding Dolton’s $135Okay examine till the village submits monetary information as required by state legislation.
“When municipalities round Illinois are having respectable issues submitting their annual reviews with us, primarily based on staffing or different points, we earnestly work with them to get them into compliance,” Mendoza stated in a press release.
Dolton is completely different. The mayor’s workplace has refused to speak with us or deal with the issue. If Mayor Henyard refuses to comply with state legislation, my workplace will use the instruments at our disposal to safeguard the pursuits of Dolton’s residents,” Mendoza acknowledged.
Mendoza reviews that her workplace hasn’t obtained a monetary submitting from Dolton since 2021. Annual reviews for 2022 and 2023 are delinquent, Mendoza defined.
Irresponsible Spending
Mendoza is conserving so-called “offset” funds from Dolton, which the state points to townships and municipalities yearly which might be collected from issues like site visitors fines, revenue tax refunds, and lottery winnings. Dolton obtained $120Okay final yr.
Henyard’s alleged reckless spending, which features a personal safety element match for a U.S. president or royal, has put her in sizzling water.
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is main a probe into Dolton’s funds on Henyard’s watch.
A preliminary report raised questions in regards to the mayor commonly utilizing a village bank card at Amazon, Goal, Walgreens, Wayfair, and different retailers. She spent $33Okay on Amazon with the village bank card alone. Investigators consider the mayor has spent over $1 million of taxpayer cash on herself and her closest allies.
Dolton’s inhabitants is simply about 20Okay individuals. Greater than 20% dwell in poverty with the common median revenue at simply $24Okay.
Henyard, in the meantime, is paying herself $270Okay yearly and has proposed that the subsequent mayor be paid solely $25Okay, one thing her critics say is designed to fend off opponents from in search of the mayor’s seat.
Las Vegas Allegations
Henyard’s 2023 Las Vegas journey with an entourage of 13 raised many eyebrows.
Certainly one of her high supporters is Dolton Trustee Andrew Holmes, a neighborhood activist who allegedly sexually assaulted a now-former township worker on the Las Vegas journey.
The lady, Fenia Dukes, was on the journey as considered one of Henyard’s assistants. She alleged in a lawsuit she was raped by Holmes in a on line casino resort room, a declare that Dolton police officer Byron Miles who was additionally on the journey supported within the authorized submitting.
The officer stated Holmes known as him bragging about hooking up with the assistant. On FaceTime, he panned the digicam to point out the partially dressed girl mendacity within the mattress. The officer stated within the grievance he couldn’t inform if the lady consented.
Within the aftermath of the lawsuit, the lady says she was compelled to take unpaid time without work and was later terminated. The police officer was demoted and faraway from Henyard’s element.
