Dolton

New documentary explores controversy surrounding Dolton ‘Super Mayor' Tiffany Henyard

NBC 5’s Regina Waldroup takes you on the journey of how a south suburban Illinois mayor and township supervisor rose to power, then quickly became embroiled in controversy amid allegations of corruption and misconduct.

NBC Universal, Inc.

The small Chicago suburb of Dolton, Illinois, has made international headlines over the course of several months -- and at the center of it all: Mayor Tiffany A. Henyard.

"Super Mayor: The Cost of Chaos in Dolton," an hour-long documentary from NBC Chicago, dives into Henyard's rise to power and the controversy that has since unraveled around her. Watch the documentary in the YouTube player below.

For over a year, NBC Chicago reporter Regina Waldroup has been following the events that have unfolded in Dolton and Thornton Township. She has embedded herself in the community by attending board meetings, speaking with residents and seeking answers to their most pressing questions.

In Dolton -- a small, underserved suburb just south of Chicago -- residents have expressed grave concern over how their taxpayer dollars are being spent, with many accusing Henyard of withholding that information from the public.

Waldroup sat down with several residents of Dolton and Thornton Township, allowing them to share their stories and explain how all of this controversy is affecting their every day lives.

The film also explores one of the most wide-reaching headlines to come out of Dolton in the last year.

On a trip paid for by taxpayer dollars, Henyard's assistant, Fenia Dukes, alleges she was assaulted by one of the village's trustees: Andrew Holmes.

The documentary lays out the details of Dukes' lawsuit, as well as the response her story has evoked from the community.

Outrage from the citizens of Dolton and beyond sparked an investigation into the allegations, as well as the village's financial status. Trustees called on the help of former Chicago mayor and former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot.

The documentary shares the initial findings of Lightfoot's ongoing investigation, as well as details about a separate federal investigation into Henyard.

While many of the townspeople have grown frustrated and angry with the state of their village, they have also come together to fight for transparency and justice.

"It's sparked a whole people's movement like we've never seen in our lives," said Thornton Township resident Paul Robertz.

Watch "Super Mayor: The Cost of Chaos in Dolton" in the YouTube player above or on the NBC Chicago News streaming channel on Peacock, Roku, Samsung TV, Xumo, Google TV, Pluto or your favorite streaming destination.

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