Dolton, Illinois mayor's former assistant turns on her over 'unethical and predatory behavior'

A former assistant to controversial Dolton, Illinois Mayor Tiffany Henyard says she is blowing the whistle on the embattled "supermayor" for her lavish spending on the taxpayer’s dime, accusing Henyard of "unethical and predatory behavior" in order to "increase her influence." 

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. 

Despite the controversies and calls for her resignation, she has remained resolute in her roles, but now Thornton Township trustee Carmen Carlisle has come forward to spill the beans on the bombastic mayor.  

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"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." 

Carlisle, who was an assistant to Henyard before being appointed a trustee in May 2023, said at a recent special board meeting that she rarely raised questions about extravagant trips and other spending charged to township taxpayers because she "trusted the administration," per the report. 

Carlisle and other township trustees then voted to put new restrictions on spending on special events and access to credit cards. 

"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." 

Henyard responded to the apparent show of disloyalty by announcing a new nickname for Carlisle. 

"I think I’m going to get you a new nickname: ‘Lyin’ Carlisle,’" Henyard said at the public meeting. "I’m tired of everyone in here. There always has to be a show." 

WGN reported in January that Henyard and her entourage racked up $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 $9,300.

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Carlisle said at the recent special meeting that the moment she didn’t trust the administration or the process, she began asking questions.  

"I worked as your assistant. I saw a lot. I heard a lot. … The first time I ever really questioned supporting you is when you went on this national platform and you said you didn’t know anything about a foundation. But you forget that I was in certain rooms when certain things happened," Carlisle said according to The Lansing Journal. 

Henyard has 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 $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.

"You were not honest about that foundation," Carlisle said at the meeting. "You came to my house after that, unannounced, and tried to get me to say somebody else started that foundation that didn’t."

Meanwhile, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been hired as a "special investigator" by the Village of Dolton to look into Henyard's alleged misdeeds.   

Lightfoot stated in a preliminary report earlier this month that in April 2022, Dolton's general fund balance was $5.61 million, but by May 2024, the balance had dropped to a deficit of $3.65 million.

Lightfoot also disclosed that Henyard used the village credit card to make purchases at Amazon, Target, Walgreens, Wayfair and other retailers. 

One jaw-dropping statement revealed that the embattled mayor had dropped $33,000 on Jan. 5, 2023 on Amazon. 

The accusations of financial misdeeds have prompted an ongoing FBI investigation.

Henyard, who typically speaks into a golden microphone at meetings, has also come under fire for an alleged sexual assault by one of her allies during a Las Vegas trip, where the alleged victim claims to have been fired after speaking out. 

Furthermore, Lewis A. Lacey, the former deputy chief of police of Dolton and an ally of Henyard, was indicted earlier this month by a federal grand jury on bankruptcy fraud charges and is accused of concealing assets and income to avoid paying creditors and settling a lawsuit.

In February, it was reported that the FBI was investigating Henyard after six people had reportedly spoken to the agency about her alleged misconduct, including "business owners, a former village employee and one or more public officials." 

In April, the FBI served two federal subpoenas as part of an investigation. Henyard was not served.

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The first one was for employment records, personnel files and disciplinary reports for 25 Dolton employees, including three police officers and Keith Freeman, who is the village administrator and Henyard's top aide. Freeman was charged with bankruptcy fraud.

The second subpoena was served specifically on Freeman, asking for records of all companies associated with him and possible ties to the village.

Fox News' Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.