Despite the controversies and calls for her resignation, Dolton, Illinois Mayor Tiffany Henyard has remained resolute in her roles. However, Thornton Township trustee Carmen Carlisle has come forward to spill the beans on the bombastic mayor.
Henyard, who also serves as Supervisor for the neighboring Thornton Township, has been dogged by scandal for months and has been accused of misdeeds, excessive spending, allegations of corruption and retaliating against co-workers.
"Today, I am breaking my silence and speaking out against Thornton Township Supervisor and Mayor of Dolton Tiffany Henyard, who I believe has engaged in unethical and predatory behavior throughout her tenure," Carlisle wrote in an emailed statement to WGN.
"For the past two years, Henyard has manipulated employees, vendors, and residents, using her position to increase her influence, all while projecting a false image of success, funded by the hardworking taxpayers of Thornton Township and the Village of Dolton."
"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 continued. "I believe there are many more victims who have been retaliated against, fired or lied to by Henyard, but have yet to speak out."
WGN reported in January that Henyard and her entourage racked up US$ 67,000 in charges for trips to Portland, Austin, Atlanta and New York City in a five-month span. Carlisle was on at least one of the trips along with other trustees and township officials. In Atlanta, the group stayed at the Four Seasons and billed taxpayers more than US$ 9,300.
Henyard has also been under scrutiny for her role with the Tiffany A. Henyard Cares Foundation.
In a September 2022 meeting, Henyard and the township board voted to give US$ 10,000 to the foundation, which claims to help people with cancer. Records viewed by the Illinois Answers project show the foundation’s paperwork was filed with the state the same day that the township payment was approved.
An Illinois Answers Project and FOX 32 investigation found that thousands of taxpayer dollars were spent on a group bicycle ride to Springfield in support of a breast cancer bill, but the bill was never formally filed, and state lawmakers weren’t in session.