Democratic Illinois 'super mayor' vetoes attempt to probe her lavish spending

Democratic Mayor Tiffany Henyard of the small village of Dolton, Illinois, vetoed a resolution on Monday by a local board calling for an external probe to be launched into her alleged misuse of funds.

The self-described "super mayor," who has gained national attention for being accused of spending taxpayer money on luxurious trips and weaponizing police in retaliatory business raids, slammed last month’s vote by the Dolton village board as being illegal and driven by personal attacks from a "boys club."

Henyard vowed to "fight back" against the alleged smear campaign against her, in which she has been accused of traveling on first-class flights to Las Vegas, spending hefty amounts at beauty vendors and splashing over $1 million on a police detail, despite the small village having a population of around 23,000 people.

The resolution she vetoed also called for her to submit the village's financial records.

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"As you can see, our village, our community, myself, we are under attack," Henyard said at the village board meeting on Monday.

"It’s a shame that people can come to meetings and just tell one side of the stories and not get the entire side of both stories." 

She claimed that the village board is "a boys club" that doesn’t want women like her leading. 

"I’m going to always fight for what’s right, and I always stay the course. And I will be victorious when all the dust clears," she added.

Henyard said she is launching a podcast on Friday that will explain all the town’s finances.

"It will be all facts, receipts," she said, according to the Chicago Tribune. 

Dolton trustees slammed the mayor at last month’s vote for having "disgraced this entire village" and being a "stain on our community."

They vowed to override her veto during next month’s meeting.

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During the village board meeting, it was revealed that Dolton owes more than $427,000 for street paving and another $400,000 for tree-trimming services, local WGN 9 reports.

WGN 9 reported last month that a bank threatened to repossess more than a dozen village vehicles — including police cars — because lease payments were missed. After the report was published, the village sent a check to pay the bills.

"The mayor can blame everybody for what’s going on, but she has to look at herself," former trustee Edward Steave said during Monday’s meeting.

Resident Vivian Allen called for Henyard to step down to save Dolton's finances.

"You lied to us as residents. You do not, you do not stand for me," Allen said. "And I want you to step down as mayor today and save our village from this deficit you have caused."

Despite the veto, FOX 32 has confirmed that the FBI is questioning people in relation to Henyard’s activities. Six individuals have reportedly spoken to the agency about her alleged misconduct, including business owners, a former village employee and one or more public officials.

For instance, according to FOX 32, a Dolton-based U-Haul rental and trucking business owner named Lawrence Gardner said he went to the FBI out of frustration that the Village of Dolton would not renew his business license. He claims he has suffered from harassment, a raid on his business and being shut down by Dolton police. Gardner believes it is retaliation after he refused to donate to a civic event sponsored by Henyard.

A public relations firm responding on behalf of Henyard told FOX 32 late last month that she had not been contacted by the FBI so far. The FBI previously told Fox News Digital it does not comment on the nature, existence or nonexistence of any investigation that may be occurring.

Fox News Digital previously reported that Henyard has been living like a royal with a combined salary of nearly $300,000 — more than the state's governor — and frequent use of beauty vendors, despite the residents of the Illinois town having a median income of $24,000. Henyard has also come under fire for various tirades in public meetings, accusing her critics among local leaders of "beating and attacking on a Black woman that’s in power."

Henyard makes $285,000 from her positions both as Dolton mayor and Thornton township supervisor.

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Henyard reportedly has a $224,000 a year salary as township supervisor alone, but has put forth an ordinance to cut the salary of any non-incumbent supervisor to $25,000.

Municipal attorney Burt Odelson, said to represent Henyard's political opposition, condemned this as "so illegal in so many ways," telling FOX 32 such conduct "violates so many tenets of the law." 

Henyard has insisted God "chose" her, and she met with President Biden in January.

Fox News' Alexander Hall, Alexa Moutevelis and Hannah Grossman contributed to this report.