Mayor of Dolton, Illinois, Jumps Into Brawl During Heated Board Meeting [Video]

Embattled Dolton, Illinois, Mayor Tiffany Henyard is making headlines again—this time for jumping into a chaotic brawl during a heated board meeting on Tuesday night.

VIDEO

The fight broke out at a Thornton Township Board of Trustees meeting after activist Jedidiah Brown called out Henyard over allegations of corruption and mismanagement. Brown referenced a damning investigative report by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, which accused Henyard of financial misdeeds, including questionable credit card spending and missing federal relief funds.

“You’ve been a half-a– mayor,” Brown said during the public comment session, demanding that Henyard address the allegations. He then led a mock vote to symbolically replace her, ending his remarks with, “You gone, b—-.”

Tensions quickly escalated as Henyard’s boyfriend, Kamal Woods, confronted Brown. Bystander footage captured the moment the two men exchanged punches in the back of the room. Several others joined in, while security attempted to break up the fight.

Then, in a shocking turn, Henyard—who had been seated at the front of the room—ran toward the melee and appeared to get physically involved. Witnesses described the moment as “scary” and “embarrassing,” with some noting that Henyard hit her head on a table during the scuffle.

“It should have never come to blows, and Tiffany should have never got involved,” witness Gerald Williams said. “She jumped in. She hit her head on the table, so I don’t know. She might be injured.”

While it remains unclear whether Henyard was actively fighting or attempting to break things up, the altercation adds another layer of controversy to her embattled administration.

Henyard’s attorney, Beau B. Brindley, defended her in a statement, blaming “false accusations” and social media rumors for the tense atmosphere. “In the social media age, unchecked falsehoods lead to misplaced tension and aggression. This episode shows that the campaign of false information about the mayor puts her and others in danger,” he said.

The board meeting was already contentious before the fight erupted, as trustees voted to place Woods and another township official on leave without pay. The vote also approved an audit into their management of an at-risk youth program.

Henyard, who also serves as Thornton Township Supervisor, has faced mounting legal and political troubles in recent months. Lightfoot’s investigation found that her administration engaged in a “systematic effort” to conceal the village’s financial condition. Among the most alarming findings:

• The city’s credit card spending surged to $779,638 in 2023, with little to no tracking.
• Hundreds of thousands of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funds remain unaccounted for.
• Public money was used to fund trips to Las Vegas in 2022 and 2023, with no evidence of business benefits to the village.

Earlier this month, Henyard was also held in contempt of court for allegedly blocking liquor license approvals for months.

The mayor’s political standing has weakened significantly. She recently lost her bid for re-election as Thornton Township Supervisor to Illinois State Senator Napoleon Harris. Despite claiming “voter suppression,” she was unsuccessful in her efforts to be reinstated on the ballot.