Brawl Erupts at Suburban Chicago Board Meeting as Heckler Confronts Embattled Mayor Tiffany Henyard
Chaos ensues after activist hurls insults at ‘America’s Worst Mayor,’ who faces allegations of financial misconduct, an FBI investigation, and public backlash.
An all-out brawl broke out during a public board meeting in Suburban Chicago after a heckler hurled expletives at “America’s Worst Mayor,” Tiffany Henyard.
The scuffle erupted during the public comments portion of a board of trustees meeting for Thornton Township, located 23 miles south of the Second City, on Tuesday after Activist Jedidiah Brown had started hurling insults at Ms. Henyard, both Township supervisor and Mayor of Dolton, who has been under investigation for misuse of public funds.
The scandal surrounding the Mayor has led to irate residents calling for her resignation and dubbing her the “Dolton Dictator,” and “the worst mayor in America,” while she has referred to herself as a “super mayor” in defiance.
The angered man accused her of “sleeping her way to the top” and being a “half a**** mayor” before calling her a “b****,” according to reports. Ms. Henyard’s boyfriend, Kamal Woods, and other allies charged toward Mr. Brown, and a fight broke out.
Video of the incident shows punches and expletives being thrown and even Ms. Henyard herself getting involved in the fracas, running toward the tussle before being thrown to the floor. It was not clear if she was trying to break up the fight or get involved herself, according to CBS News.
“It was one thing when the guys were fighting, but when she jumped in it, I was taken aback. I was floored,” Thornton resident Alicia Nichole said to ABC7 Chicago.
Others witnessed her head hitting a table during the melee.
“She jumped in. She hit her head on the table, so I don’t know. She might be injured,” resident Gerald Williams said.
The board meeting ended abruptly after police were called to the scene, and everyone in attendance was kicked out of the building.
The spectacle came just a day after a special nine-month investigation led by a previous Chicago mayor, Lori Lightfoot, found that Ms. Henyard had blatantly disregarded the purchasing policy of Dolton Village and the larger township by racking up excessive spending that left the municipality in deficit and that she attempted to hide its dire financial state, according to a report from FOX 32 Chicago.
“At least as early as late 2021, there was a concerted, systematic effort on behalf of Mayor Henyard and others in her administration to hide the true financial condition of the Village of Dolton from the trustees and from members of the public,” Ms. Lightfoot said during a public meeting to announce the findings.
“By March 2022, the trustees were effectively cut off from receiving regular financial reports.”
Ms. Henyard did not attend the meeting but denied the allegations through a terse statement provided to FOX 32 by her lawyer.
“Lori Lightfoot is a failed mayor whose fiscal irresponsibility was overwhelming,” Attorney Beau Brindly said. “The idea that any credibility could be given to her ‘findings’ about another mayor’s financial decisions is preposterous.”
“This is an effort by a failed political figure desperately seeking the limelight to which she is no longer entitled.”
The self-proclaimed “super mayor” of Dolton, Ms. Henyard, is accused of spending nearly $8 million over two years, including paying $85,000 for a party that included tens of thousands of dollars to lesser-known musicians for a half-hour’s work.
She’s also alleged to have a penchant for spending public funds using the village’s credit cards to make purchases at retailers like Target, Walgreens, and Wayfair.
One statement showed that she spent $33,000 on Amazon.com in one day in January last year. She’s also been accused of spending tax dollars on motorcades and personal security.
The FBI has also been investigating Ms. Henyard for the misuse of public funds along with a litany of other allegations, including reports of wrongful termination of village employees who have spoken out against her, shutting down local businesses as a means of political retaliation, and defying the will of her constituents by staying in office after they voted for a recall in 2022.