Embattled Illinois elected official Tiffany Henyard got an earful from her constituents at a public meeting Tuesday, but had little to say in return.
A number of local residents WGN-TV described as “frustrated” shared their thoughts at the Thorton Township meeting about Henyard’s various local scandals.
Henyard currently serves as both Thornton Township supervisor and Dolton mayor, according to the outlet.
WNG said that Henyard was the subject of at least two open investigations.
“WGN Investigates has learned federal investigators have been looking into the south suburban governments that Henyard runs for months,” the station reported.
“The Illinois Attorney General has also found Henyard’s staff is violating open records laws by refusing to turn over financial records requests by WGN Investigates and others,” it added.
It did not know whether results of either of those investigations would be forthcoming any time soon, however.
In addition, WBBM-TV reported that former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot had been hired by the Village of Dolton Board of Trustees to investigate whether Henyard was guilty of misuse of public funds.
Residents reasonably want to know how much fire there was behind all that smoke.
“When you don’t answer questions, there’s something to hide,” Dolton resident Mary Avon said, according to WGN.
“No, ‘madam supervisor,’ we are not brainwashed. We are fed up,” South Holland resident Curtis Watts added.
The fact that Lightfoot is black and that her involvement was announced Monday didn’t stop Henyard, who is also black, from attributing the ongoing investigations to racism.
“Henyard has never fully explained the spending and continues to say she’s the victim of vicious opponents and racism,” WGN reported.
“We’re here to help each other and not hurt each other,” she said, according to the outlet.
“And it’s a shame that us — us, I’m talking to my Black and Brown communities — would sit here and fight,” she added, a comment the crowd did not seem to appreciate.
Apart from that, Henyard would only respond with a statement to the effect that residents are permitted to say whatever they wish, within reason, during the public comment section of the meeting, but that those comments didn’t obligate her to respond.
You can see the WGN report below.
Lightfoot’s investigation was expected to begin this week, even as results from the other two remained pending.
Can they not find someone sane to elect?