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@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
WATCH: Fists went flying to end the Thornton Township board meeting after a speaker during public comment insulted Henyard, prompting allies of hers to rush over. @WGNNews
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
It was hard to tell from my angle, but Henyard ended up in the middle of this. Just minutes prior, the board voted to put two Henyard allies that work for the township on paid administrative leave, including her boyfriend Kamal Woods, and confidante William Moore
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Activist Jedidiah Brown, known for speaking out against Henyard, took hits at her in a swear-laced public comment, accusing her of [sleeping] her way to the top, saying she'll never be a married woman, and called her a "half-a--d mayor."
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Brown's comment ended with, "you gone b--," and moments later, the brawl unfolded.
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
After the initial effort to push people out of the building, at least one person came back, and this unfolded:
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
I’m told by South Holland police those directly involved in the fight had left by the time officers arrived. No arrests were made. We were not informed of anyone injured during the fight — which you can tell — happened right where residents were sitting.
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
I’ve reached out to Henyard’s attorney for a statement. I’ll share it if he responds.
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Worth noting, this is separate from her role in Dolton, where she serves as mayor. Mon. night, former federal prosecutor and Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot revealed her findings in the independent investigation she was hired by the board to conduct. https://wgntv.com/dolton/dolton-village-financial-mismanagement-lightfoot-investigation/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Link to the story, with more from the meeting, and links to previous coverage: https://wgntv.com/news/south-suburbs/brawl-erupts-at-board-meeting-in-thornton-township/amp/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
If this is the first you’re reading on this, I’ll try to give some helpful background. 🧵 Tiffany Henyard, supervisor of Thornton Township and mayor of Dolton, IL, has been the focus of an ongoing federal investigation. Earlier reporting from 2024👇🏼 https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/subpoenas-reveal-tiffany-henyard-her-allies-are-fbi-focus/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Even before this was known, WGN Investigates uncovered massive spending, including lavish taxpayer-funded trips taken by Henyard and allies, with Dolton residents footing the bill. https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/dolton-tiffany-henyard-spending-records/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Last year, WGN sued the village for refusing to turn over spending records and other documents related to Henyard. After Dolton declined to release the records, the AG issued a rare, binding opinion forcing the village to comply. https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/wgn-sues-dolton-for-refusing-to-release-spending-records/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
If you search, you’ll find a lot more results, but trying to hit on some of the bigger stories from this last year in the village and township. At one point, a bank threatened to repo village vehicles due to missed payments. https://wgntv.com/dolton/unpaid-loans-could-lead-to-dolton-police-vehicle-repossessions/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Over the summer, trustees in Dolton (majority oppose Henyard) voted to freeze spending on credit cards. Around the same time, Lightfoot revealed her investigation found Dolton went from a surplus to ~$5.5 mill deficit under Henyard’s leadership in 2 yrs https://wgntv.com/dolton/dolton-mayor-tiffany-henyards-control-wanes-as-trustees-halt-spending-on-village-credit-cards/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Allegations of tax dollars being spent that were NOT approved by the board isn’t limited to Dolton. This is from several months back, where Thornton Township trustees voted not to approve thousands in expenditures, but those were reportedly charged already https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/trustee-tiffany-henyard-uses-shell-game-to-subvert-board-spend-unapproved-tax-dollars/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Several federal indictments have charged Henyard allies, including former Dolton deputy police chief Lewis Lacey. Dolton board voted to fire Lacey, who didn’t go out easily. https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/henyard-to-dolton-cops-during-police-power-struggle-stop-playing-these-silly-games/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Henyard then tried to name a new police chief despite majority of board members voting against the permanent appointment. A Cook County Circuit Judge blocked her appointments https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/dolton-trustees-judge-blocks-tiffany-henyard-appointments/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Oct. 2024: Just weeks after Henyard and her boyfriend were hit with an eviction lawsuit, she threatened her opponents with arrest https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/tiffany-henyard-threatens-opponents-with-arrest/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Dec. 2024: ‘They can’t beat me’: In rare caucus, Henyard loses Thornton Township nomination https://wgntv.com/news/south-suburbs/they-cant-beat-me-tiffany-henyard-loses-thornton-township-nomination-to-napoleon-harris/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Henyard filed a lawsuit, asking a judge rule the caucus illegal, and calling for a do-over. “I do not like dictatorship. I do not like a hostile takeover,” she said. A judge later dismissed Henyard’s lawsuit. She will remain off the ballot https://wgntv.com/news/south-suburbs/henyard-seeks-do-over-after-democratic-caucus-loss-citing-voter-suppression/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
There’s been an ongoing power struggle between Henyard and two Thornton Township trustees, including one who was Henyard’s former assistant. She recently asked a judge to intervene and force the trustees to attend meetings https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/tiffany-henyard-asks-judge-to-force-trustees-to-show-up-to-meetings/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Last week: a judge ruled Henyard was in contempt of court over her alleged refusal to sign off on promised liquor licenses https://wgntv.com/news/south-suburbs/tiffany-henyard-held-in-contempt-of-court-over-liquor-license-dispute/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Beyond the politics that unfold in the public eye, WGN Investigates (@BenBradleyTV) has reported extensively digging for answers, including into Henyard’s namesake cancer charity, which got nearly all its reported dollars from taxpayers, records show https://wgntv.com/news/wgn-investigates/dolton-politicians-cancer-charity-got-almost-all-of-its-reported-money-from-taxpayers/
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
These are just the big headlines. There are many meetings we’ve covered in Dolton & TT in between where these issues were addressed. Henyard, who denies the allegations, has not been charged w/ any crimes & remains in her two positions, where she earns $285k+ year, records show
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
I don’t mind if people share my stuff (that’s what it’s for) but it’s disrespectful to take what local journalists are on the ground covering and pass it off as your own work (video, info, etc.) All I ask is people have the decency to attribute where you got the video from.
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
To further that note - this happens far too often which is why I’m putting this here. I’ve even seen a handful of “the media will never show this” replies to videos people have ripped from me and passed off as their own. This is one of many stories that if not for the local…
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
…reporters who uncovered and diligently dug into allegations surrounding Henyard and her handling of village and township finances, the national media, bloggers, everyday social media users would have never have known about this. Let us show you why local journalism matters.
@CourtSpinelliTV - Courtney Spinelli
Speaking of, if you’re looking to follow people who have been on this consistently (since far before it hit the nat’l wires), @BenBradleyTV @ReginaWaldroup @Jenna_Barnes are just several reporters that have done incredible work on this story, breaking major updates throughout.