Suburban politician Tiffany Henry is in hot water after throwing a jaw-dropping $85,000 party this weekend. With a federal investigation already looming over her spending and leadership, this latest controversy has only intensified the scrutiny. The town is drowning in debt, and yet, Henry is out here splurging taxpayer money on a high-profile bash.
And it gets worse—leaked footage of the party has made its rounds online, showing just how extravagant it was. To set the record straight, I’ve never had a drink in my life, so I’m all about keeping things clear and honest.
So here’s what went down: Tiffany Henry, the mayor of Dolton Village and Thornton Township, decided to host a massive event with a rapper and an R&B artist, calling it “Taste of Thornton Township.” Her colleagues, however, were far from impressed, and now they’ve pulled the plug on any future events. Looks like Henry’s back in the hot seat, and this time, it’s not looking good.
Henry was clearly having a blast at the event—she posted videos of herself on social media, dancing and singing along to the music. While she was living her best life, the rest of the town was left scratching their heads, wondering what was going on. One former trustee even threw some serious shade, calling the whole thing a flop. Ouch!
Henry wasn’t holding back on the self-promotion either. In a now cringe-worthy Facebook post from mid-August, she called herself the “super mayor” and the “people’s mayor,” boasting, “Told y’all we always got something going on.” But it seems this event wasn’t exactly the hit her team had hoped for.
To make matters worse, the costs for the “Taste of Thornton Township” event were astronomical. Henry and her team splurged tens of thousands of dollars. They dropped $30,000 on R&B star Kiki Wyatt and another $20,000 on rapper Jay Holiday—that’s $50,000 just for entertainment, according to WGN. And that’s not all. The town also spent $6,600 on bouncy houses, plus extra for a sound system, staff, and equipment. When everything was added up, the total bill topped $85,000, all for a crowd of just 65 to 70 people. That’s quite a hefty price tag!
And that’s just the beginning. Tiffany threw another party on September 1st, 2024, and this time it was at a skating rink. But here’s where it gets interesting: this wasn’t just any rink. It was part of a project with a staggering price tag of $269,000. That’s right—$269k. But the drama doesn’t stop there. WGN Investigates had to go to court to get Mayor Henry’s administration to release the credit card records. When those records were finally revealed, they showed something jaw-dropping. A whopping $177,000 was spent at a roller skate wholesaler. Yes, $177,000 on roller skates while the town’s finances are in serious trouble? It’s hard to believe. I’m betting this is for the skates that the residents never even got to use.
Trustee Tammy Brown didn’t hold back on her criticism of the ice rink. She called out Mayor Henry for pushing so hard for the rink, only for it to be barely used and poorly maintained. To add insult to injury, Skycam 9 flew over the rink on a prime Friday evening, a time when you’d expect it to be packed. Instead, it was nearly deserted. All that money spent, and for what? It’s like the rink has become a ghost town. The reception to Henry’s big plans has been as cold as the ice itself. Tammy Brown also pointed out that the rink doesn’t even keep regular hours.
Let’s be real: none of these expenses were necessary. If Tiffany really wanted to lift people’s spirits with a party, she could have showcased some local talent. But no, she chose to go with what would look best on Instagram. It doesn’t make sense to me. There are probably plenty of local bands who would have jumped at the chance to perform, maybe even for free. But instead, we ended up with a couple of artists born in 1983 and 1984, which aligns with the music Tiffany Henry grew up with and wanted for the Township of Thornton’s big event.
But hold on—Mayor Henry wasn’t taking the criticism well. At the event, she kept insisting, “This is all for the babies.” Seriously? And if that wasn’t enough, she even spoke about herself in the third person, saying, “They don’t show you this side of Tiffany Henry, the productivity.” It’s like, okay. She also claimed that she paid for everything herself, which a lot of people find hard to believe. “I used my own money to make sure of it,” she said. She suggested that the criticism was because the event was called “Friends of Tiffany Henry Picnic,” which, by the way, is also the name of her political campaign. It’s pretty clear that this party was more about PR than anything else, especially given her recent controversies.
For the record, I’ve never taken anything in my life, so let’s clear that up. But no matter how productive she says she is, the party didn’t seem to draw much of a crowd, and people aren’t happy. Former Dolton Trustee Valeria Stubbs called it a flop, saying, “She likes to use our tax dollars to promote herself. She’s throwing all these events trying to buy voters.” Local resident Jennifer Roberts was stunned by how much was spent, saying, “I was pissed off. That’s my money, that’s the people’s money.” And Dolton resident Sher Brittain didn’t hold back either, calling Tiffany a narcissist and predicting, “She’s going to do whatever she wants. I think she knows this is over, but she’s going down kicking and screaming like an MMA fighter. It won’t stop until they put cuffs on her.”
Honestly, it’s a hot mess of drama, overspending, and major side-eye from the community. Tiffany’s partying days might be over soon, especially with the new allegations of misusing taxpayer money. Subpoenas have already been served in Dolton and Thornton Township as part of a federal investigation—talk about some serious legal drama!
Most of the heat is focused on Dolton, where Henry has been in charge. Some locals are so frustrated they’re calling her a dictator, no holds barred. Even former Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot got in on the action with a report showing some outrageous spending. Dolton’s expenses have gone through the roof, including a jaw-dropping $43,000 splurge on Amazon in just one day. Seriously, what are they buying? Meanwhile, the village’s funds are practically running on empty.
But it’s not just about the money. Henry’s leadership is causing some major rifts on the boards of Dolton and Thornton Township. Things got so heated at a recent meeting that it felt like a reality TV showdown. The drama is far from over. The trustees have even refused to sign off on several events, calling out Henry for her reckless spending. They’ve canceled upcoming events like Gospel Fest, House Fest, and even Bingo—yes, Bingo! With the town operating without an officially approved budget, things are getting tense. Trustee Chris Gonzalez didn’t pull any punches, saying, “We can’t continue to spend money without that in place.” He also highlighted the town’s unnecessary spending over the past month. It’s clear the trustees are fed up with all the lavish spending and are drawing a line in the sand.
Henry wasn’t about to let things go without firing back, and she came in with both barrels blazing. According to CBS Chicago, she told her colleagues, “You all want to stop everything here at Thornton Township, but I don’t see any of you doing anything.” She didn’t hold back, accusing them of blocking all the work her team had been putting in while bringing nothing to the table themselves. It felt more like a reality TV showdown than a political meeting!
Honestly, Tiffany’s reckoning has been a long time coming. Her flashy lifestyle has landed the village in serious trouble, with the local bank turning over a list of her transactions. It’s now obvious why her administration is under such intense scrutiny. She’s been burning through funds like there’s no tomorrow, leaving the town’s finances in shambles. With the feds now involved, Henry’s facing major accusations of misappropriation of funds. Her party-loving days might be behind her, but her political future is looking pretty shaky right now, with her career hanging in the balance.
