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Tag: Lightfoot
Illinois ‘super mayor’ conducted ‘systematic’ cover-up of excessive spending, Lightfoot investigation finds
Dolton, Illinois, Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s administration was engaged in a “systematic effort” to cover up the Illinois town’s financial situation as Henyard and other officials failed to track the spending of hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to an investigation by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
Lightfoot, who now works as a consultant with Charles River Associates, was tasked with investigating Henyard’s administration last year, and she presented her findings at a meeting Monday night. Henyard has served as the city’s self-styled “super-mayor” since 2021.
“Beginning at least as early as late 2021, there was a concerted, systematic effort on behalf of Mayor Henyard and others in her administration to hide the true financial condition of the Village of Dolton from the trustees and from members of the public,” Lightfoot said.
Lightfoot said the Village of Dolton received some $3 million in payments from the American Rescue Plan, hundreds of thousands of which went missing without receipts. Henyard failed to appoint an official to track how the funds were spent, as required by the Treasury Department, according to Lightfoot’s report.
SCANDAL-RIDDEN ILLINOIS MAYOR LOSES TOWNSHIP SUPERVISOR NOMINATION IN HISTORIC CAUCUS
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot issued a damning report over financial mismanagement in the Village of Dolton, Illinois. (REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski)
The city’s credit card spending also spiked to $779,638 in 2023, also with little to no tracking.
“Many of the credit card expenditures have no accompanying receipt, and the statements alone provide limited information about the purchases,” the report says, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
FELLOW DEMOCRATIC MAYOR BACKS TIFFANY HENYARD’S VOTER SUPPRESSION CLAIMS: ‘TELLING THE TRUTH’
City credit cards were also used to pay for large trips to Las Vegas in both 2022 and 2023, and the report claims, “There is no evidence that any business development opportunities came to the village as a result of either of these two trips.”
Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s administration is accused of misplacing hundreds of thousands of dollars. (Fox32 Chicago screen capture)
Lightfoot’s report comes just days after Henyard was found in contempt of court for stonewalling liquor licenses.
The owners of St. Patrick’s, a three-story restaurant and banquet hall on Lincoln Avenue, sued in August claiming the mayor had repeatedly promised to sign the liquor licenses – which were already approved by the village board of trustees – but did not.
In court on Wednesday, Henyard, who also serves as the village liquor commissioner, reportedly vowed again that she would sign the licenses, but she did not before the 5 p.m. Thursday deadline.
The parties were therefore forced to return to court again Friday, and Henyard arrived a half hour late for the hearing, WGN-TV reported.
Mayor Tiffany Henyard is accused of extravagant spending that could bankrupt the Village of Dolton, Illinois. (Fox 32)
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Cook County Judge Cecilia Horan held Henyard in indirect criminal contempt. That means the mayor was considered “disrespectful to the authority of the court,” Adrian Vuckovich, an attorney for the owners of St. Patrick’s, told WMAQ-TV.
“It’s been a challenge to put it mildly. It shouldn’t be so difficult. This is an ordinary event to get liquor licenses issued,” Vuckovich told WGN separately.
Fox News’ Danielle Wallace contributed to this report.
The mayor of Chicago, Lori Lightfoot, has been accused of conducting a “systematic” cover-up of excessive spending within her administration, according to a new investigation. The report, released by a watchdog group, alleges that Lightfoot and her staff intentionally withheld information about the city’s finances in order to hide their mismanagement of taxpayer dollars.The investigation found that Lightfoot and her team routinely ignored financial protocols and engaged in reckless spending practices, all while attempting to conceal their actions from the public. The report also uncovered evidence of cronyism and favoritism in the awarding of contracts, further calling into question the mayor’s integrity and leadership.
Critics have dubbed Lightfoot the “super mayor” for her ability to evade accountability and maintain a facade of transparency while engaging in unethical behavior. Calls for her resignation have grown louder in the wake of these revelations, with many demanding a full investigation into the extent of her misconduct.
As the scandal continues to unravel, it remains to be seen how Lightfoot will respond and whether she will be able to salvage her reputation in the eyes of the public. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
Tags:
- Illinois mayor scandal
- Lightfoot investigation
- Excessive spending cover-up
- Illinois political corruption
- Systematic misconduct
- Mayor Lightfoot scandal
- Illinois government investigation
- Corruption in Illinois
- Political cover-up exposed
- Mayor misconduct revealed
#Illinois #super #mayor #conducted #systematic #coverup #excessive #spending #Lightfoot #investigation #finds
Lori Lightfoot releases findings of investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard – NBC Chicago
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot delivered her final summary of the investigation into possible mismanagement of the village of Dolton’s funds by Mayor Tiffany Henyard on Monday night.
With the investigation complete, the former mayor said she hopes the small village will right the ship – and get back to transparency and good government.
Monday’s meeting at the Dolton Park District was packed with eager residents waiting to hear the results.
“I’m happy that the report is out, so residents know the truth,” said Minister Deborah White, a Dolton resident.
“Still shocked that this happened and that the government didn’t step in,” added another resident, Valerie Williams.
Lightfoot said she used witness testimony – emails and other documents – for her probe.
With no subpoena power – she said she ran into some challenges, but still managed to get the job done. Henyard did not attend the meeting.
Lightfoot was tasked with looking into allegations of irregularities regarding financial mismanagement.
Here are some of her key findings:
- Credit card expenditures never approved and no receipts
- More than $170,000 in travel-related costs from 2021 to June 2024
- $51,000 spent at area restaurants
- More than $218,000 for Amazon purchases made with village credit cards from Jan. 2021 through June 2024
- One of the largest purchases was almost $50,000 in supplies for the village’s skating rink
As for litigation, 48 separate lawsuits were filed against the village – 12 for alleged Freedom of Information Act violations.
Regarding two trips taken to Las Vegas, Lightfoot said no business opportunities came to the village as a result. She also said the mayor’s ex-assistant, who said she was assaulted by a trustee on the 2023 trip, didn’t cooperate with her investigation, nor did any other key witnesses.
As for the federal investigation, Lightfoot said she doubts anything will happen before next month’s election. She also touched on the new administration.
“I am not really worried about the new administration,” she said. “I don’t believe the federal investigation should be impacted, but there is no way to tell.”
As for recommendations, Lightfoot said she gave some regarding finance and personnel to trustees – and they have started to implement them.
Lightfoot said a website will be set up to answer questions that weren’t answered on Monday night. NBC Chicago reached out to Henyard’s attorney for comment and was still awaiting a response as of late Monday.
Lori Lightfoot, the Mayor of Chicago, has released the findings of an investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard. The investigation, conducted by the City of Chicago’s Office of Inspector General, revealed several concerning issues within Henyard’s administration.According to the report, Henyard was found to have engaged in unethical behavior, including misuse of funds and conflicts of interest. The investigation also found evidence of nepotism and favoritism within her administration.
In a statement, Mayor Lightfoot expressed deep concern over the findings and called for Henyard to be held accountable for her actions. She emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in government and vowed to work with Dolton officials to address the issues uncovered in the investigation.
Henyard has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to cooperate fully with the investigation. She has also pledged to take steps to address the issues raised in the report and restore trust in her administration.
The release of the investigation findings has sparked controversy in Dolton, with residents calling for Henyard’s resignation. The situation is still developing, and it remains to be seen how Henyard will respond to the allegations against her. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
Tags:
- Lori Lightfoot
- Investigation
- Dolton Mayor
- Tiffany Henyard
- NBC Chicago
- Findings
- Corruption
- Political scandal
- Government investigation
- Public officials
#Lori #Lightfoot #releases #findings #investigation #Dolton #Mayor #Tiffany #Henyard #NBC #Chicago
Ex-Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is sharing the results of her probe into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard — watch live
DOLTON, Ill. (CBS) — Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Monday provided her final summary of her investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
Lightfoot was hired by the Dolton Board of Trustees to investigate Henyard’s alleged misuse of public money. She presented present the final summary of her investigation at a special townhall Monday night.
Lightfoot said the report documented “gross financial mismanagement” both at the Dolton village level and for Thornton Township, where Henyard is supervisor.
“The costs to taxpayers have been significant, starting with a substantial budget deficit, higher costs for basic necessities like liability insurance, and many lawsuits against the Village directly related to allegations of misconduct by Henyard and others,” Lightfoot said in a statement.
In a statement issued ahead of the final report, Lightfoot said her investigation consistently ran up against a mayor and administration that “evaded transparency — skirting FOIA laws, failing to provide requested documents, and otherwise refusing to cooperate with the investigation.”
The investigation started last April, and the results are expected Monday night. The same investigation already revealed that the South Suburban Village had a negative balance of more than $3.5 million.
Lightfoot’s probe focuses on Henyard’s alleged misuse of village money including overspending on credit cards and a controversial Las Vegas trip involving a sexual assault claim.
Henyard has repeatedly denied these allegations.
Watch Lori Lightfoot’s summary live now
Lightfoot revealed her preliminary findings last August. She found that overtime, especially with two officers, kept jumping year after year, and credit card spending was out of control.
Lightfoot also revealed there was $40,000 in unaccounted-for money spent on Amazon.
Henyard originally vetoed calls for an investigation into herself but that was overturned by trustees.
At the same time, the FBI is conducting an investigation of Henyard for financial misconduct, including out-of-state travel, big purchases, and potential corruption in both Dolton and Thornton townships, where Henyard is a supervisor.
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- Lori Lightfoot
- Chicago Mayor
- Tiffany Henyard
- Dolton Mayor
- Probe results
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Tiffany Henyard investigation: Lightfoot to release findings on Dolton mayor’s alleged misuse of funds
Lightfoot to release findings into Tiffany Henyard’s spending in Dolton
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has completed an investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, and her findings will be released Monday night at 6 p.m.
DOLTON, Ill. – Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has completed her investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, with findings set to be released Monday night.
The backstory:
The former mayor was appointed by the Village of Dolton Board of Trustees to investigate Henyard in April of last year. She was tasked with launching a probe into Henyard’s alleged mishandling of village funds, among other complaints.
Lightfoot has also been asked to investigate a Village of Dolton work trip to Las Vegas last year. A former employee accused Henyard of retaliation after she claimed she was sexually assaulted by a village trustee during that trip and was then fired after speaking up.
Henyard originally vetoed calls for an investigation into herself, but that was overturned by trustees.
READ MORE: ‘Put cuffs on you’: Dolton meeting with Mayor Tiffany Henyard, Lori Lightfoot turns to chaos
Initial Findings:
Lightfoot presented initial findings from her investigation into the Village of Dolton’s “dire” financial situation in August of last year.
The bombshell report delved into the spending habits of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard and her alleged misuse of taxpayer dollars, highlighting just how much financial trouble the village is in.
Lightfoot stated that in April 2022, Dolton’s general fund balance was $5.61 million. By May 2024, the balance had dropped to a deficit of $3.65 million.
The presentation detailed credit card transactions amounting to thousands of dollars and Lightfoot said millions are owed to vendors.
Across the village’s six credit cards that Lightfoot’s team is aware of, receipts for purchases are “rarely provided.”
Lightfoot disclosed that village credit cards have been used to make purchases at Amazon, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair, and other retailers. Notably, one purchase on Amazon amounted to $33,005 on Jan. 5, 2023. That same day, two more purchases were made on the site – one for $4,715 and another for $5,609.92.
Lightfoot to release findings about Tiffany Henyard’s alleged spending habits
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot completes investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, with findings to be revealed Monday night.
Another significant purchase noted in Lightfoot’s report was made on Sept. 1, 2023 – for $7,699.99 on Wayfair.com.
As of June 18, 2024, at least 589 checks amounting to over $6 million were approved and printed but never sent to vendors.
In another shocking revelation, the investigation found that two police officers received overtime pay exceeding their annual salaries. One officer’s salary for fiscal year 2024 was $87,295, yet the officer received $114,800 in overtime pay. The second officer, with a salary of $73,515, received $102,077 in overtime pay for fiscal year 2024.
READ MORE HERE: Dolton in Crisis: Lightfoot reveals alleged misuse of funds by Mayor Tiffany Henyard
‘Tiffany need to be locked up’: Dolton residents react after Lightfoot report reveals financial crisis
To a dumbfounded crowd Thursday night, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot presented her investigative report revealing the spending habits of Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard at the expense of taxpayers.
What’s next:
The meeting is scheduled for Monday at 6 p.m. at the Dolton Park District. The meeting is open to the public.
Tiffany Henyard controversy
What we know:
Henyard has stirred up controversy in both Dolton and Thornton Township, where she was a supervisor, and now she’s facing an FBI investigation.
In May 2024, Henyard was named in a seven-page subpoena served at Dolton Village Hall back, which asked for all payments, expense reimbursements, per diems and credit card expenditures for her, beginning just before the election in 2021.
The same information was also requested from her top assistant, Keith Freeman, and a pair of businesses controlled by Freeman as well as several trustees and village employees who had traveled with Henyard.
The subpoena also showed that the FBI is looking into complaints by Dolton business owners whose licenses have been held up by the village, asking for licensing information for 10 bars and restaurants, including two that were raided and closed by Dolton police in February – Rinky’s Bar and Pablo’s Cafe and Bar.
The feds are reportedly focusing on all the expensive out-of-state travel by Henyard and her crew, including first class plane tickets, asking for travel records for all trips, but specifying Washington D.C., Las Vegas and Portland, Oregon.
RELATED: Thornton Township subpoenas reveal Tiffany Henyard is target of criminal investigation
The FBI also asked for shift records for a number of officers assigned to her detail, including officer Terry Young, who last May reported working 303 hours over a two-week period.
The subpoena asked for information Henyard’s charitable foundation, which used employees and vehicles from Dolton as part of a march to Springfield in 2022.
A federal grand jury has been conducting a criminal investigation into Henyard since November of last year.
In all, the FBI served a total of five subpoenas over a two-week period on Dolton and Thornton Township, where Henyard also serves as supervisor.
READ MORE HERE: Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard named in latest FBI subpoena, records requested
Dolton in Crisis: Lightfoot reveals Tiffany Henyard’s spending habits
Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot on Thursday presented a report to Dolton residents on Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s spending habits at the expense of taxpayers.
The Source: Information from this release was provided by Lori Lightfoot’s office. Background information in this article is from previous FOX 32 reporting.
In a recent development, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has announced that she will be releasing the findings of an investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s alleged misuse of funds. The investigation, which has been ongoing for several weeks, is said to have uncovered evidence that Henyard misappropriated public funds for personal use.Henyard, who has been in office since 2021, has denied any wrongdoing and has vowed to cooperate fully with the investigation. However, many residents of Dolton have expressed outrage at the allegations, calling for Henyard to step down from her position.
In a statement, Mayor Lightfoot stated that the findings of the investigation will be made public in the coming days, and that appropriate action will be taken if any wrongdoing is confirmed. The release of the findings is expected to shed light on the extent of Henyard’s alleged misconduct and could have far-reaching implications for her political career.
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
Tags:
Tiffany Henyard, Lightfoot, Dolton mayor, investigation, findings, misuse of funds, Chicago, government, corruption, financial misconduct, political scandal
#Tiffany #Henyard #investigation #Lightfoot #release #findings #Dolton #mayors #alleged #misuse #fundsTiffany Henyard live update: Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot presents findings from investigation into Dolton mayor
DOLTON, Ill. (WLS) — Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is set to release Monday night the findings of her investigation in Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
Lightfoot was hired last year to look into questionable financial mismanagement of village funds.
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Last summer, Lightfoot’s preliminary report showed the village is more than $3.5 million in the red after having a more than $5.5 million surplus around the time Henyard became mayor. Tuesday night’s report is expected to lay out more details.
In a statement, Lightfoot said in part, “The report details consistent mismanagement of Village finances through excessive spending on non-essential goods and services, systematic attempts by Mayor Henyard and others at her direction to hide the true financial condition of the Village from the Board of Trustees and the public, as well as other efforts to thwart efforts aimed at transparency as mandated under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act.”
Former Chicago Mayor Lori LIghtfoot presented the findings of her investigation in Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard at a public meeting Monday evening.
Lightfoot, formerly Chicago’s mayor and now working in the private sector at a global management consulting firm, was hired by Dolton trustees to investigate the village’s finances. She found soaring expenditures in 2023 on at least half a dozen village credit cards, including more than $43,000 in Amazon purchases in a single day and thousands of dollars spent at Wayfair and Best Buy.
There were also travel expenses, including for nine domestic trips taken by Mayor Henyard and other village officials. One of those trips to Las Vegas is the subject of a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and claims of retaliation.
SEE ALSO: Tiffany Henyard fails legal challenge to stay on ballot for Thornton Township supervisor
Residents are eager to learn more at the evening meeting.
“It’s very important for people to see the findings that Lori Lightfoot is going to give us because it’s a lot of people that are doubting that she’s really corrupt, and with this investigation they’ll be able to see that she’s not really the person that they think she is,” said resident Vivian Allen.
“She’s tried to justify for the money, and she said something about some ice on the ice rink, and I go like no. That can’t be. Not $43,000 for the ice on the ice rink. I don’t believe it,” said resident Naomi Lopresto.
Henyard is seeking re-election as mayor of Dolton. The meeting comes about a month before the primary election.
ABC7 left a message for Henyard’s attorney, seeking comment after Lightfoot’s report is released.
Full statement from Lori Lightfoot on investigation findings
“Today, we released the final summary of findings and recommendations on the investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s financial management of the Village of Dolton’s revenues and expenses, as requested by the Village Trustees. The report details consistent mismanagement of Village finances through excessive spending on non-essential goods and services, systematic attempts by Mayor Henyard and others at her direction to hide the true financial condition of the Village from the Board of Trustees and the public, as well as other efforts to thwart efforts aimed at transparency as mandated under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”). The report establishes the absence of competent governance and continued violations of governance norms during Mayor Henyard’s tenure. The costs to taxpayers have been significant, starting with a substantial budget deficit, higher costs for basic necessities like liability insurance, and many lawsuits against the Village directly related to allegations of misconduct by Henyard and others.
“Throughout our independent inquiry, we consistently encountered a mayor and administration that evaded transparency-skirting FOIA laws, failing to provide requested documents, and otherwise refusing to cooperate with the investigation. The report provides a detailed accounting of gross financial mismanagement, both at the Village level and at Thornton Township, during her tenure as Supervisor, including unspent American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, failure to comply with reporting requirements, misuse of taxpayer dollars, and failure to pay vendors. We also uncovered Village liability insurers refused to provide coverage to Mayor Henyard, which potentially exposes the village to significant legal and financial risks.“The details in this report are significant, and we are confident the majority of Trustees will continue to take the necessary steps to safeguard the Village. We thank them, along with the residents of Dolton, for placing their confidence in our team to conduct this investigation, provide truthful insight into the Village’s financial standing, and offer recommendations to support their efforts toward improved governance.”
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In a live update today, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot presented the findings from her investigation into Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard. The investigation, which was launched after allegations of misconduct and corruption surfaced, revealed disturbing details about Mayor Henyard’s actions while in office.According to Mayor Lightfoot, the investigation found evidence of unethical behavior, misuse of public funds, and conflicts of interest on the part of Mayor Henyard. These findings have raised serious concerns about the integrity of Mayor Henyard’s leadership and her ability to effectively serve the people of Dolton.
Mayor Lightfoot emphasized the importance of holding public officials accountable for their actions and stressed the need for transparency and honesty in government. She called for swift action to address the findings of the investigation and restore trust in the leadership of Dolton.
As the investigation continues to unfold, residents of Dolton are left wondering what the future holds for their town and who will be held responsible for the alleged misconduct. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
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Tiffany Henyard, Lori Lightfoot, Dolton mayor, investigation, live update, Chicago, former mayor, findings, update, news, politics, corruption, government, Illinois, press conference, scandal
#Tiffany #Henyard #live #update #Chicago #Mayor #Lori #Lightfoot #presents #findings #investigation #Dolton #mayor
