A former Democratic mayor of a Chicago suburb, Tiffany Henyard, is grappling with legal challenges after failing to produce required public records during a court hearing. She was recently held in contempt of court for not complying with a subpoena related to a land development project allegedly associated with her boyfriend.
During a recent court session, Henyard’s attorney invoked the Fifth Amendment on her behalf, arguing that she lacked the requested documents. “This matter is going to be resolved with a simple affidavit. The whole hearing was much ado about nothing,” said her attorney, Beau Bridley.
The situation arises from a lawsuit by Edgar County Watchdogs Inc., which alleges that Henyard and the Village of Dolton did not provide financial records as mandated under the Freedom of Information Act. Edward Weinhaus, the attorney for the watchdog group, expressed skepticism regarding Henyard’s claim that her election defeat was a valid excuse for withholding the documents. He also noted the added complexity of invoking the Fifth Amendment in connection with a possible criminal investigation.
Henyard, who recently lost her re-election bid and a bid for a position in Thornton Township, was previously under scrutiny after the FBI issued subpoenas to Dolton officials in April 2024 as part of a corruption investigation. In light of her administration’s financial management, village trustees have engaged former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to conduct an investigation into Henyard’s spending practices. A coming hearing scheduled for June 11 will determine whether she will continue to be fined $1,000 per day for contempt of court.
Source: www.foxnews.com
