Electioneering Straight Out Of The Mayor’s Office –

Dolton, IL. (ECWd) –

Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard, who was elected by 10.9% of the registered voters (82% of a 13.76% voter turnout) in Dolton, apparently decided it was a good idea to go live to Facebook from the Mayor’s office. We don’t know who the guy filming this is but believe him to be a village or township employee.

She mentioned she formed a nonprofit. It does not have her name anywhere on it other than the title and mentioned it “has money” to help people – but didn’t mention the money came from the taxpayers; she voted in favor of Thornton Township gifting “her” nonprofit $10,000 of your tax funds just days prior to jaunting off to Springfield.

The issue we have with this video, is her apparent electioneering out of a public office, as the public office holder.

Electioneering is frowned upon, and there are even laws designed to prevent it, such as the State Officials and Employees Ethics Act which also applies to local government.

The Ethics Act defines “prohibited political activities” prohibits their activities in Section 5-15, which local governments are required to adopt:

• State employees shall not intentionally misappropriate any State property or resources by engaging in any prohibited political activity for the benefit of any campaign for elective office or any political organization
• At no time shall any executive or legislative branch constitutional officer or any official, director, supervisor, or State employee intentionally misappropriate the services of any State employee by requiring that State employee to perform any prohibited political activity (i) as part of that employee’s State duties, (ii) as a condition of State employment, or (iii) during any time off that is compensated by the State (such as vacation, personal, or compensatory time off)

Using the physical office to electioneer for the Feb 2023 election should be considered electioneering and misappropriation of public property.

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