Tiffany 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.”

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.”