Federal Lawsuit Accuses Thornton Township Supervisor Tiffany Henyard And Keith Freeman Of Retaliation, Attempted Takeover Of School Trustee Board –

Thornton Township, Ill. (ECWd) –

A federal lawsuit file on June 13, 2024, accuses Thornton Township Supervisor and Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard and Keith Freeman (who has been indicted for fraud) of attempting to essentially take over the Thornton Township Trustee of Schools Board.

We were fully aware of this as it was happening, and believe federal authorities were also watching this go down.

This is another example of what appears to be Henyard’s typical method of obtaining approval or acquiescence of her actions for the past couple of years, here is what this lawsuit says happened:

• Plaintiff, a township employee for 20 years, ran for the elected position of Township Trustee of Schools
• Henyard and Freeman initiated communications with employee with their plan to take over the trustees of schools
• Henyard and Freeman wanted to terminate the attorney for the school trustees, and wanted Del Galdo law firm placed as the attorney for the trustees of schools
• Henyard and Freeman wanted to terminate the trustee’s treasurer and install their hand-picked replacement
• Andrew Holmes (also Dolton Village Trustee) was elected as a trustee of schools, along with plaintiff
• Freeman approached Plaintiff in reference to Henyard’s plan to take over the school and make changes, specifically changes in the attorney and treasurer positions
• Plaintiff was given a $10,000 pay raise at the township
• Plaintiff was taken out to several breakfasts and other events by Henyard and Freeman to attempt to gain his approval for what they were attempting to do
• Plaintiff never agreed
• Freeman posted an unauthorized special meeting agenda at the school trustee office, in which he had placed agenda items to hire new attorney and new treasurer
• There was no quorum, so those attempts failed
• Plaintiff went on a scheduled vacation from his township job
• After the failed meeting, plaintiff was terminated from his employment at the township for alleged “insubordination” and “misconduct” – things Plaintiff claims never happened, and that fabricated “discipline” reports were generated and placed in his personnel file

The six-count complaint lists First Amendment Retaliation, Fourteenth Amendment Retaliation, Common Law Retaliatory Discharge, Conspiracy, Common Law Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, and Violation of the Illinois Personnel Records Review Act.