Former Chicago mayor Tiffany Henyard is facing another legal challenge after failing to produce public records from her time in office, leading to a contempt of court ruling earlier this month. In a recent hearing, Henyard’s attorney pleaded the Fifth on her behalf, stating that she does not have the requested documents and instead offering to submit an affidavit in their place.
The lawsuit against Henyard was filed by the Edgar County Watchdogs Inc. after she and the Village of Dolton failed to produce financial records requested under the Freedom of Information Act. Despite losing her re-election bid to Jason House, Henyard was also defeated by Illinois state Sen. Napoleon Harris in her attempt to keep her seat as Thornton Township supervisor.
Henyard gained national attention in April 2024 when FBI officials served subpoenas at Dolton Village Hall as part of a corruption investigation, although she was not charged with a crime. In response to the investigation, village trustees hired former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to look into Henyard’s spending. Lightfoot’s investigation revealed that the village’s fund balance had fallen from $5.6 million to a $3.6 million deficit, with credit card bills accumulating a $779,000 balance in 2023.
On the day Henyard lost the mayoral primary, the Village of Dolton received a federal subpoena related to a land development allegedly tied to her boyfriend. Henyard is required to appear at a hearing on June 11, where a judge will determine if she will remain in contempt of court and face a fine of $1,000 per day.
The ongoing legal challenges and controversies surrounding Henyard’s time in office have stirred up further scrutiny and criticism, with her attorney maintaining that the situation is being blown out of proportion. The outcome of the upcoming hearing will shed more light on the implications for the former mayor and the village she once led.
