Feds seek records tied to Dolton land development as Mayor Tiffany Henyard ousted

DOLTON, Ill. - The Village of Dolton has been served a subpoena seeking records tied to a land development allegedly linked to Mayor Tiffany Henyard's boyfriend.

The subpoena, dated Feb. 25, coincided with an election in which Dolton residents overwhelmingly voted to replace Henyard with Trustee Jason House.

What we know:

The subpoena demands records related to a Lincoln Avenue development and requires testimony on March 17 at the Dirksen Federal Building. The land in question was allegedly once owned by Henyard’s boyfriend.

Henyard, whose administration has been under fire for alleged financial mismanagement, was ousted with nearly 88% of the vote on Tuesday.

House, a trustee and once an ally of Henyard, ran on a platform of transparency, pledging to restore accountability in Dolton’s government.

"Not only is Ms. Henyard depriving the public of what they deserve, it’s costing the village money," House said on Election Day. "Day one, every record will be turned over."

Residents echoed frustrations over Henyard’s leadership, citing concerns over financial mismanagement and Dolton’s declining reputation.

"The way that the present mayor has been doing things just hasn't been sitting right with me," voter Sharon Hunley said.

The backstory:

Henyard’s administration has been under intense scrutiny, with investigations into alleged financial mismanagement. A federal subpoena issued in May 2024 sought Dolton’s financial records, reportedly focusing on Henyard’s expensive out-of-state trips.

Last year, former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot was hired to investigate Henyard’s handling of village funds. Lightfoot’s review found that Dolton’s general fund had gone from a $5.6 million surplus in 2022 to a $3.6 million deficit in 2024, with questionable credit card purchases and a lack of financial accountability.

What's next:

Henyard’s political future remains uncertain as investigations into her administration continue.