Drama in Dolton: Small village, giant controversy
Summary
TLDRThe video script details the controversial tenure of Tiffany Henyard, mayor of Dalton and supervisor of Thornton Township, who has been dubbed 'the worst mayor in America.' Henyard is under fire for alleged misuse of public funds, including expensive security details, lavish trips, and the curious donation of taxpayer money to a cancer charity named after her. The mayor's penchant for attention, such as dressing as a movie character and using a personal DJ at meetings, contrasts with her reluctance to address allegations of misspending. The script outlines the various controversies, including a 10-day march to Springfield, the use of public funds for promotional materials, and the installation of giant billboards featuring Henyard's image. The situation has escalated to the point where the FBI is conducting interviews as part of a federal investigation, and residents are calling for transparency and Henyard's resignation. The summary captures the essence of the video's narrative, highlighting the mayor's questionable actions and the community's response.
Takeaways
- π¨ Tiffany Henyard, mayor of a small village in Illinois, has attracted national attention due to allegations of misusing public funds and has been nicknamed 'the worst mayor in America'.
- π° Mayor Henyard holds two political jobs and earns over $200,000 a year, leading to concerns about her questionable expenses and the promotion of her personal interests.
- ποΈ Henyard has been accused of using township credit cards for expensive trips, police details, and other personal expenses, raising concerns about misspending of tax funds.
- π₯ She established the Tiffany Henard Cares Foundation to help breast cancer patients, which received a $10,000 donation from the Thornton Township Board on the day it was chartered.
- π« Former Thornton Township Chief of Staff, Stephanie Weedman, was fired by Henyard and has since been documenting township spending, expressing shock at taxpayer dollars funneled into Henyard's charity.
- πΆββοΈ Henyard led a 10-day march to Springfield to promote her breast cancer charity, during which thousands of dollars were spent on hotels, meals, and transportation using public funds.
- π Henyard sold and gave away t-shirts and hoodies related to her charity, with the township paying $117,000 for specially printed items, raising questions about the purpose and transparency of these expenditures.
- π’ Henyard's name and image are prominently displayed on government-owned properties and vehicles, leading to criticism that she is using taxpayer dollars to promote herself politically.
- π The village of Dalton is facing financial difficulties, with $5 million in debt in the last two fiscal years, partly due to the costs associated with Henyard's security detail.
- π Henyard's security detail, consisting of handpicked Dalton police officers, has been a point of contention, with overtime costs for the officers reaching into the thousands of dollars.
- βοΈ The FBI is conducting an investigation into Mayor Henyard, with subpoenas issued for records related to her security detail, expenditures, and the use of public funds for personal and charitable purposes.
Q & A
What is the nickname given to the mayor of the small village in Illinois?
-The mayor has been nicknamed the 'worst mayor in America'.
What are some of the allegations against Mayor Tiffany Henyard?
-Allegations against Mayor Tiffany Henyard include misusing public funds for personal expenses, security details, trips, and billboards; intimidation and retaliation against critics; and questionable donations to a cancer charity named after her.
What is the annual salary that Mayor Tiffany Henyard makes from her two public roles?
-Mayor Tiffany Henyard makes over $200,000 a year from her role as supervisor of Thorton Township and $46,000 a year as the mayor of Dalton.
What was the purpose of the 10-day march to Springfield organized by Mayor Henyard?
-The purpose of the 10-day march to Springfield was to promote Mayor Henyard's breast cancer charity and to introduce a bill that would give everyone $5,000 on their income tax when they file if suffering from cancer.
How did the township credit card expenditures raise concerns?
-Concerns were raised because thousands of dollars were spent on hotel rooms, meals, and transportation for the Springfield trip, as well as the purchase of specially printed hoodies and t-shirts, all charged to the township and Dalton credit cards.
What was the reaction of the former Thornton Township Chief of Staff, Stephanie Weedman, to the spending on Mayor Henyard's charity?
-Stephanie Weedman, who was fired by Mayor Henyard, was stunned by the taxpayer dollars funneled into Henyard's charity, especially the $10,000 donation from the Thornton Township Board.
Why did the Dalton trustees file a lawsuit against Mayor Henyard?
-The Dalton trustees filed a lawsuit against Mayor Henyard claiming that she has not justified the need for her large personal security detail and is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on it without the board's approval.
What is the controversy surrounding the billboards featuring Mayor Henyard's name?
-The controversy is that the billboards, which feature Mayor Henyard's name and picture prominently, appear to be promoting her personally rather than township services. They were paid for by taxpayer dollars, which some argue is a misuse of public funds.
How did the security detail assigned to Mayor Henyard impact the local police department?
-The security detail assigned to Mayor Henyard strained the local police department's resources, leading to an undermanned and overworked force. This impacted the department's ability to fight crime effectively, with fewer officers available for patrolling the streets.
What triggered the federal investigation into Mayor Henyard?
-The federal investigation into Mayor Henyard was triggered by a series of allegations and controversies, including the misuse of public funds, intimidation tactics, and retaliation against those who opposed her, which led to increased scrutiny and calls for an inquiry into her activities.
What was the reaction of the local community and businesses to Mayor Henyard's actions?
-The local community and businesses expressed frustration and outrage at Mayor Henyard's actions. Some reported feeling targeted by retaliatory measures, such as the revocation of permits and the shutdown of businesses. There were also calls for her resignation and for greater transparency in the use of public funds.
Outlines
π Controversial Mayor Tiffany Henyard's Questionable Expenses
Mayor Tiffany Henyard of a small village in Illinois has gained national attention and the nickname 'worst mayor in America' due to her questionable use of public funds. Henyard, who holds two political positions, has been accused of using her offices for personal gain, including expensive trips, police details, and retaliation against critics. She has also been linked to a controversial donation of taxpayer money to a cancer charity named after her. The mayor's actions have led to chaos and legal battles, with allegations of misspending and a lack of transparency.
π€ Henyard's Publicity Stunts and Taxpayer Funded Campaigns
Mayor Henyard is known for her attention-seeking behavior, which includes dressing up as a movie character and using a DJ during meetings. She has been involved in a 10-day march to Springfield to promote a bill for cancer patients, during which thousands of dollars were spent on hotels, meals, and transportation using public funds. Henyard's charity received a $10,000 donation from the Thornton Township Board, which she presides over. Critics argue that her actions are self-promotional and that public funds are being misused for personal and political gain.
π¨ Misuse of Taxpayer Funds for Billboards and Security Detail
Allegations against Mayor Henyard include the misuse of taxpayer funds for promotional billboards featuring her name and image along highways. The township paid over $112,000 for the rental of these billboards. Additionally, Henyard's security detail has raised concerns, with officers working excessive overtime hours, leading to inflated paychecks. One officer received over $133,000 in a single paycheck after working 303 hours. Trustees argue that the security detail is unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer money, detracting from public safety and proper policing in the community.
π€ Henyard's Disregard for Public Input and Financial Woes
Mayor Henyard has been criticized for her disregard for public input, as seen in incidents where residents and press were barred from attending township board meetings. The village of Dalton is facing financial difficulties, with $5 million in debt, partly due to the mayor's expensive security detail. The former police chief of Dalton, Robert Collins, was fired by Henyard and has filed a lawsuit for wrongful termination, claiming that the mayor's actions have impacted the police department's ability to fight crime effectively.
π Police Raids and Allegations of Retaliation
The narrative describes a situation where local businesses, including two bars, were raided by the police in an alleged campaign of harassment by Mayor Henyard. The mayor is accused of targeting businesses that did not support her, including revoking a park permit for an event that coincided with her own music festival. The township's financial decisions and actions by the mayor have led to an FBI investigation, with subpoenas being issued for a broad range of records related to Henyard's political fund, her charity, and the township's financial activities.
ποΈ Calls for Henyard's Resignation and Ongoing Investigations
The piece concludes with a look at the broader implications of Mayor Henyard's actions, including calls for her resignation from residents and an ongoing FBI investigation. Subpoenas have been issued for a wide range of records, indicating a significant scope to the federal criminal investigation. The residents of Dalton and Thornton Township are hoping for accountability and a recovery of misappropriated funds, while the story of Mayor Henyard continues to unfold.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Tiffany Henyard
π‘Misuse of Public Funds
π‘Security Detail
π‘Political Tactics
π‘Public Records Requests
π‘Charity Donations
π‘Political Billboards
π‘FBI Investigation
π‘Retaliation
π‘Public Meeting
π‘Whistleblower
Highlights
Leader of a small village in Illinois, known as Mayor Tiffany Henyard, has attracted national attention and gained the nickname 'the worst mayor in America' due to questionable expenses and alleged intimidation tactics.
Mayor Henyard holds two political positions, earning over $200,000 a year, and has been accused of misusing her offices for personal gain and security details.
Allegations include expensive trips, use of township credit cards for personal expenses, and the curious donation of taxpayer money to a cancer charity named after Henyard.
Henyard's tenure has been marked by chaos, with firings, scandals, and a legal battle over spending, leading to a federal investigation.
The mayor has been known to attract attention, dressing up as a character from a movie and using a DJ to punctuate her political points.
A march to Springfield to promote Henyard's breast cancer charity was documented on social media, with expenses tracked to township credit cards.
A former employee claims that Henyard's actions felt like a takeover and that taxpayer dollars were funneled into her charity.
Henyard's security detail has been a point of contention, with overtime pay for officers reaching into the thousands and a former police chief claiming the detail impacted the ability to fight crime.
The village of Dalton is facing a financial crisis with $5 million in debt, partly due to the expensive security detail.
Henyard's use of taxpayer funds for billboards featuring her name and image has raised questions about the legality and intent behind such spending.
Critics argue that the billboards are essentially campaign ads and that the township should not have paid for them.
Henyard's response to questions about her spending has been evasive, and she has been accused of bullying and intimidation.
The FBI is conducting a federal criminal investigation into Henyard, including her security expenditures, use of public funds, and the charity in her name.
Subpoenas reveal a broad scope of the investigation, including financial reports, payroll records, and contracts related to Henyard and her administration.
Residents and local businesses in Dalton have reported retaliation and harassment by Henyard, leading to a call for her resignation.
The ongoing investigation and its findings are expected to have significant implications for Henyard's political future and the village of Dalton.
Transcripts
how did the leader of a small village we
got our be right here coming from
Illinois attract the attention of the
entire nation and get nicknamed the
worst mayor in America everything she
has initiated has been to promote her
questionable expenses I can map out
their entire trip on the township credit
card expensive police details 162 hours
oh that's nothing and allegations of
retaliation did you take that as a
threat I took that as bullying she's not
shy about attracting attention it makes
her feel as if she's like a superstar
until she starts facing questions I ask
you a few questions yeah she says no I'm
asking her we're going to talk now the
feds are involved and another
controversial mayor is joining the story
we want transparency with this much
controversy coming from just one person
we got to ask who is mayor Tiffany
henyard and what's behind the drama in
doton she cannot continue to intimidate
and gangster her way through
this welcome I'm Fox 32 Dane PLO Tiffany
henyard actually has two political jobs
on two public payrolls as mayor of South
Suburban Dalton or as she calls herself
super mayor and supervisor of Thorton
Township where she makes over $200,000 a
year now before henyard election in 2021
Dalton was like any other suburban
community with festivals parades and its
share of problems but today Dalton is
known more for the mayor herself and The
NeverEnding allegations that she's used
and abused her two offices at Dalton and
Thorton Township for pricey security
details trips to Vegas unmissable
Highway Billboards and the Curious
donation of Township tax dollars to a
cancer charity named for you guessed it
mayor henyard nobody
know don't nobody know nothing Tiffany
henyard certainly isn't shy about
attracting attention here she is
starting a Dalton village board meeting
dressed like the Wesley Snipes character
in the movie New Jack City later
punctuating her political points with
the help of her own DJ every single
resident pay me what you owe
[Music]
me thank you DJ henards picture in name
adorned virtually every public posting
both from Dalton where is Mayor she
makes $46,000 a year and in Thorton
Township whereas the elected supervisor
she collects more than $200,000 a year
but for all that money henards tenure at
both has been chaotic with firings
scandals and a legal battle with the
Dalton trustees over
spending so last fall henard did
something that would seemingly generate
some good publicity helping establish
the Tiffany henard cares Foundation to
help breast cancer patients and on the
very day the charity was chartered it
received a huge donation
$10,000 from the Thornton Township Board
which henyard presides over taxpayer
money shouldn't be paid into those types
of things Stephanie Weedman is the
former Thornton Township Chief of Staff
whom henard fired shortly after taking
over in March of last year it almost
felt like a takeover and a very
aggressive one at that since her firing
Weedman has been documenting Township
spending and says she's stunned by the
taxpayer dollars funneled into henyard
charity especially this we got 10 days
we're going 196 miles last October
henyard led a delegation of Dalton and
Thorton Township employees and political
supporters on a march to Springfield to
promote her breast cancer charity which
she documented on her Facebook page we
walking through do all we're Brightwood
now we are in Godly now we in
Bloomington baby I can pretty much map
out their entire Springfield trip on the
township credit cards that's right
henyard build thousands of dollars in
hotel rooms and meals during the trip to
thoron Township and Dalton credit cards
in addition the video show henard used
multiple Village and Township Vehicles
owned by taxpayers to escort the Caravan
including a flatbed trailer with a
photographer flying a drone and a DJ we
got our Bear right here coming from
Illinois walking all the way to
Springfield make noise for our the
people but they didn't always walk we
all motorbikes baby at times riding
electric bikes y'all see my bike Town
ship supervisor it looks like a
misspending of tax funds um I think
that's the biggest that that's the
biggest concern Dalton trusty Jason
house has been doing battle with the
mayor since she took office very
disturbing to hear these things or to
kind of see some of the receipts that
appear to be connected to it and I think
the taxpayers really deserve better than
that and then there's the merch there a
shirt want a t-shirt along the way
henyard sold and gave away t-shirts and
hoodies also available on her Chari
website
a week before the trip the township paid
$117,000 for specially printed hoodies
and t-shirts but won't say what they're
for I think that everything she has
initiated has been something to promote
her something to get her name in
household something to get people to buy
into voting for her our investigation
found at least $1,000 in public funds
spent on that trip but both Dalton and
Thorton Township have been slow or
unresponsive to open records requests so
what was the purpose of the 10-day march
to Springfield I have created a bill uh
which we're going to speak before the
revenue committee to give everybody
$5,000 on a income tax when they file if
you are suffering from canc a noble goal
except the revenue committee wasn't
meeting when the group arrived in
Springfield hener did later testify at a
Committee hearing in Chicago but so far
nothing has come of her bill I think I'm
going to damn good job on Le so we went
to a recent Thorton Township board
meeting to ask henyard some questions
about all that spending I never ever
been um bitter to the news this is my
all to the media can you guys reach out
to us and ask us our before you post it
I appreciate and so we did I'll ask you
a few questions okay but henyard wasn't
anxious to talk about her charity why
did you in the in the board vote to give
your foundation $10,000 I'm the f of the
foundation my name is nowhere
sir I'm the face face what was the
purpose of going to
Springfield she doesn't have any more
comments we're going to talk any more
comments thanks guys that's Keith
Freeman whom henard hired at both Dalton
and Thorton Township and was part of her
Springfield walk look at Keith Kei baby
Freeman also filed paperwork for the
charity bearing henyard name why are you
using public money for your personal
charity $177,000 sure it's thank thank
you thank you and with that her security
detail hustled henyard upstairs and
blocked the staircase with a
table so we tried asking another
employee who went on that trip you went
down to Springfield and what were you
hoping to do in spr ask people to
handles that I'm not the one to handled
it I was just riding a bik we need more
officers on the streets we need our
streets repaved um so to spend that kind
of money on a charitable event or
supposed charitable event really doesn't
seem like the best use of tax take a
drive to the south suburbs and you can't
miss them four giant Billboards
featuring Tiffany henyard name in large
letters along with her picture smiling
down on the thousands of cars going by
on Interstate 57 and the Bishop Ford
Expressway what are they advertising one
says fresh produce another senior
services and this one simply says we
offer general assistance there's a phone
number but you wouldn't know what it's
for unless you can read in teeny tiny
letters thoron Township supervisor as
you're speeding by these are the
Billboards that have gone up along the
expressways we showed the Billboards to
Bert odson an election attorney who's
been working in Illinois politics for 50
years when I first looked at it I
thought what is she running for now
because that's what it shouts out Odon
who represents a political faction
opposed to henyard and Dalton says it's
clear the Billboards are promoting more
than Township Services he says they're
essentially Campa pain ads uh this is a
blatant attempt to promote herself
politically uh the township should not
have paid for these if they if they did
and I'm sure they did they did indeed
bills obtained by Fox 32 under open
records laws shows Thorton Township paid
more than $10,000 for the vinyl signs
themselves and more than $112,000 to
Clear Channel Outdoor advertising for
one month's rental of the Billboards
what was your reaction when you saw I
well first of all I didn't know anything
about them Thorton Township Trustee
Chris Gonzalez says the board was never
consulted about the Billboards which he
says needed their approval kind of the
some of the first things that popped in
my mind is what are we doing um we're
not this isn't a big sale we're not
selling cars here I mean if it's
informational then it should be
informational I mean there's so many
other ways we could have spent that
money um that would have you know
directly help people this isn't the
first time henyard has used taxpayer
dollars to burnish her own personal
image in fact on other occasions she
spent a lot more and you can't turn your
head in Dalton or thoron Township
without seeing henards picture or name
it's on all the government-owned
vehicles buildings even on the rugs in
the township where we found a Tiffany
henard 2024 calendar featuring all the
important dates to remember including
her birthday I would be having a fit if
she was my client telling her not to do
this veteran Chicago political
consultant delmarie cob says there would
be nothing wrong if henyard were using
her own political funds for those
promotional materials especially the
Billboards I actually had a candidate
years ago who was running for mayor
doton and that's what we did we bought
uh Billboards along the expressway
because if you're coming and going home
all day and one of the things I always
say about Billboards is they're working
when you're sleep in 2011 State
lawmakers passed a law Banning the
practice of politicians putting their
names on publicly funded signs spurred
by these Tollway signs featuring former
Governor Rob legovich that law does not
extend to Mayors or other elected
officials but election attorney odson
believes the Billboards do violate state
election laws it's a crime yeah you're
you're using public funds for something
that taxpayer dollars shouldn't
shouldn't be used for and just when you
think you've seen it all take a look at
this when the first billboard went up
last summer thoron was misspelled as
thoron
sign had to be ordered apparently a
taxpayer expense in videos posted by
henyard herself we see her being driven
around and surrounded by Dalton officers
which got us to wondering why all the
cops we weren't opposed to her having
the security detail we asked how long
and how often Dalton trustee Britney
Norwood says henard began assembling her
details shortly after being elected in
2021 using handpicked Dalton police
officers using a freedom of information
request we obtained the work records for
six of the officers assigned to henyard
security detail at various times and
showed them to some of Dalton's trustees
this is a freedom of information request
we did to see how much overtime these
officers are making on her security
details oh wow 162 hours 162 oh that's
nothing what goes through your mind when
you see these numbers um it's it's
disappointing it's frustrating the
officers are paid every two weeks which
without without overtime is 80 hours but
when they're put on henards detail that
80 hours balloons to well over a 100
hours sometimes 200 hours and in the
case of Officer Terry young last May 303
hours worked over a two-e period that
resulted in a single paycheck of more
than
$133,000 how how does a person put in a
2E pay period 303 hours that's
impossible that's impossible 336 do he
never go
in fact there are 336 hours total in 2
weeks meaning young was not being paid
for only 33 hours over that period other
officers on the security detail are also
racking Up Overtime paychecks in the
multiple thousands of dollars May might
if I ask you a couple questions about
your security details absolutely not I'm
asking her yeah she said no a couple
weeks ago we tried to question henyard
about her detail as she went door Todo
in Dalton giving out water on a 100Β° day
surrounded by police firefighters Public
Works employees and two videographers
documenting for Dalton's Facebook page I
want to tell the people I'm not going to
stop I'mma keep going I hope they post
what we actually do here in the village
of do and stop telling lies but when we
gave her an opportunity to explain the
OT mayor why do you need so many
officers details your security what did
you say water it sound like you say
water earlier that day we watched as a
Dalton cop drove henyard from her other
job at Thorton Township to Mexican
restaurant for lunch trustees say the
security detail picks the mayor up at
her home in the morning and is with her
until she's dropped off at night often
taking her on errands and shopping does
she need a security detail absolutely
not why why would you need a security
detail oh she loves it she just loves it
she loves the detail I think um it makes
her feel as if um she's like a superstar
Dalton trustees have filed lawsuit
against henyard saying she's not
justified the need for security and is
spending hundreds of thousands of
dollars on it without the board's
approval I see no justification
whatsoever and more than that it's
really a detriment to the residents of
do oh sure um the residents if we would
take the same money and put it on
officers patrolling the streets then the
residents will see a much better
presence and Public Safety will be
better we've had a few shootings so we
need the extra police patrol our streets
instead of patrolling her and we found
Dalton credit card statements showing
that hener takes the detail with her
even when she travels out of town
spending thousands of dollars on plane
tickets lodging and meals for the
officers mayor why don't you taking all
the officers out of town with you isn't
that a waste of taxpayers money let's go
to this one right here anything you want
to say to defend yourself on this as for
The Village's finances trustees say
Dalton is now getting sued by some
vendors for failure to pay its bills
bills in the last two fiscal years we're
$5 million in the hole and a big part of
it is the security detail it's
embarrassing embarrassing it's
embarrassing you don't see the governor
with a detail as hers several months
after we broke the story about henards
expensive security detail we got
confirmation that it was impacting the
ability to fight crime in Dalton and
that came in an exclusive Fox 32
interview with somebody who would know
Dalton's now former police chief
the Manpower was just very stressed and
critical to the point of almost breaking
former Dalton police chief Robert
Collins spoke to us from Florida where
he's taken a new job after being fired
by Dalton mayor Tiffany henyard late
last year but Colin says he remains
frustrated by what he experienced
leading an undermanned overworked Police
Department while mayor hener demanded a
large personal security detail you know
wrong is wrong and there's a Time to
hold people responsible and accountable