DOLTON, Ill. (TND) — The embattled Village of Dolton, Illinois spent over $43,000 in a single day on Amazon, according to an investigation led by former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot.
The Dolton Village Board of Trustees agreed to bring on Lightfoot, a former federal prosecutor, to investigate Mayor Tiffany Henyard’s alleged lavish spending habits. The mayor allegedly funded frequent travel, hotel stays and pricy meals on the taxpayers' dime.
Henyard has defended herself, saying she is being targeted for her status as a Black woman in "power."
“The residents of Dolton deserve nothing less than a government that is fully accountable, responsive, transparent, and effective stewards of your precious tax dollars,” Lightfoot said in an address to the village in April.
In a Thursday meeting to reveal some of her findings, Lightfoot addressed the village’s “increasing expenditures” since 2021 when Henyard was elected. The village has also not audited its finances since that year, she said.
The village’s general fund, Lightfoot said, is $3.65 million in the red.
READ MORE |Controversial Illinois mayor faces calls to resign in heated village meeting: 'Disgrace'
“Over the past three years the monthly expenditures of the village have increased by over 30%,” a presenter said. “The increasing expenditures have not been met by corresponding increases in revenue.”
Lightfoot said the village used credit cards to make purchases and concealed them as miscellaneous police expenditures so as not to require board approval. Among these expenses were over $43,000 spent on Amazon in a single day, over $7,000 at Wayfair and over $2,200 at Best Buy. These expenses drew audible shouts and gasps from the crowd.
You’re having the same reaction that we did when we saw this,” Lightfoot said.Also among the elevated expenses was additional pay for two police officers who earned more than their base salary in overtime alone, according to the investigation. Additionally, the village approved over $6 million in expenses through bounced checks.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the finding that Dolton's general fund has a $3.65 million deficit.
Follow Jackson Walker on X at @_jlwalker_ for the latest trending national news. Have a news tip? Send it to jacwalker@sbgtv.com.
ncG1vNJzZmihlJa1sLrEsKpnm5%2BifK%2Bx1qxmp5mknryvedaoqaWcX565rbXNqKCsZaaeua2txp5krKiVo8FugJKkZKimXZa6osbOp2Sipl2otq%2Bzy55knZmpYravwsSsq6Kfkam2sLqMrJ%2Bor6NisbC406ilZqyZm7Oiuthmn56mqZa%2FpXnLqKmiZZyetKnAxaimrWWTnbakrcaoZJ%2Bhnpa7pLHSZqqpnZ6Ztq%2Bz