Lightfoot hired to investigate Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard
DOLTON, Ill. — Former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot begins her work in Dolton on Tuesday after the Board of Trustees voted to hire her as a special investigator into Mayor Tiffany Henyard.
There was a huge applause when the four present trustees voted to appoint Lightfoot, a former prosecutor.
Henyard did not attend Monday’s meeting.
Lightfoot will be paid $400 an hour and what trustees are calling a check in at $30,000.
On the list of issues she will investiagte, Henyard’s trip to Las Vegas, including spending on that trip and reports of misconduct, hiring contractors without requests for proposal, paying vendors without approval and paying the village prosecutor, Michael Del Galdo, more than $900,000 over two years.
The board said he threated a lawsuit if Lightfoot was hired as legislative counsel, so they changed her title to special investigator.
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It is important to note that neither this board nor Lightfoot can bring actions in criminal court. This is a fact-finding mission and they will turn over any relevant to the proper authorities.
“The residents of Dolton deserve nothing less than a govt that is fully accountable, responsive, transparent, and effective stewards of your tax dollars and I welcome and urge the full cooperation by Mayor Henyard, her staff, all village trustees, vendors and others who have information relevant to this inquiry,” Lightfoot said.
There was some skepticism from members of the public who asked questions, that Lightfoot could get information they couldn’t when they say they have been stonewalled. Lightfoot said if Henyard doesn’t cooperate she’s prepared to do what is necessary to get to the facts.
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Also at Monday’s meeting, there was a continuation of last week’s board meeting, the trustees voted to override Heynard’s veto of their resolution calling for a federal investigation into her spending.
They fully expect the mayor to veto this Lightfoot hire, too, but they say they will override that as well.
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