Article

2024-08-17 Government Corruption

Ill. comptroller withholds funds from Dolton as Tiffany Henyard orders cops to obey disgraced department ally

[NYPOST]

The Illinois state comptroller took the extraordinary step of withholding some funds from the troubled village of Dolton on Thursday, blaming scandal-scarred Tiffany Henyard for the first-of-its-kind action — as the self-proclaimed ''Super Mayor'' told cops to follow orders from her disgraced department ally who was placed on leave before being indicted.

State Comptroller Susana Mendoza said she would immediately suspend all ''offset'' monies typically doled out to municipalities because Dolton leader Henyard ''refuses'' to turn over financial reports to the state.

The village was on track to gain $135,000 this year — but instead could start facing fines if the problems drag on. If the issues are fixed, the comptroller will restart the payments.

Mendoza said while her office tries to assist municipalities that struggle to file required annual reports, ''Dolton is different.''

''The Mayor's office has refused to communicate with us or address the problem,'' she said in a statement. ''If Mayor Henyard refuses to follow state law, my office will use the tools at our disposal to safeguard the interests of Dolton's citizens.''

The village did not send reports to the comptroller's office in 2022 and 2023, the comptroller said.

The state collects the ''offset'' funds when it withholds part of a resident's income tax return or lotto winnings if they don't pay a parking or speeding ticket at the local level, according to a comptroller spokesperson.

Those funds are then distributed back to the municipality, according to the office.

The state agency made clear it would not give Dolton — which is already facing financial hardship — the money until it gets into compliance with its financial records.

But the village could face fines totaling $78,600 over the delinquent paperwork if municipal officials don't release the records, the comptroller's office said.

Henyard, who was elected in 2021, has faced mounting allegations of maleficence in office, including misuse of taxpayer funds. Federal Sherlocks reportedly subpoenaed financial information and documents tied to her and the village earlier this year as part of a probe.

Henyard's ally in the police department, Deputy Chief Lewis Lacey, was federally indicted on bankruptcy fraud and other charges Monday, though the criminal case is not connected to the village.

He was placed on administrative leave last week by trustees opposed to Henyard before the indictment, but a lawyer for the trustees reportedly said he's still going to work.

The confusion over his job status persisted into this week.

Henyard ordered coppers to continue following orders from Lacey on Thursday, according to video obtained by WGN.

''Stop playing these silly games,'' Henyard is heard saying.

Lacey also issued a warning that cops had better fall in line, according to the station.

''Do what you want, but anything after this is insubordination,'' he said.

But Village Administrator Keith Freeman told officers in an email that Lacey was no longer employed by the village.

''Mr. Lacey is not allowed in any spaces reserved for employees with an escort,'' he said, according to WGN.

Just last week, former reliably Democrat Chicago, aka The Windy City or Mobtown
...home of Al Capone, the Chicago Black Sox, a succession of Daleys, Barak Obama, and Rahm Emmanuel...
Mayor Lori Lightfoot

..the diminutive and vacuous former Heronner da Mare of Chicago. When the corpse count rises she blames the guns, which are banned anyway...
revealed the village's coffers were in shambles under Henyard leadership while outlining high spending, including $43,000 in one day on Amazon.

Posted by Fred 2024-08-17 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11127 views ] Top

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