'America's worst mayor' admits living out of state while collecting $20K in taxpayers' cash

Published: 21:28, 25 April 2026 | Updated: 21:28, 25 April 2026 She's been dubbed 'America's worst mayor' after repeated allegations of misconduct and Tiffany Henyard faces yet more controversy around her political comeback following her move from Illinois to Georgia. The former Democratic Dolton mayor is now running for election in next month's primary for County Commissioner of the 5th District in Fulton County after flipping to the Republican ticket. But her bid faced scrutiny this week as she was probed by the Fulton County Board of Elections over her finances and how long she has been resident in Georgia.   During questioning she admitted she was living in Georgia while still holding elected office in Illinois, as records show she continued to collect thousands of dollars in taxpayer-funded paychecks from the northern state. Public records show Henyard received $12,007 from the Village of Dolton between March 7, 2025, and May 2, 2025, despite having already lost her mayoral primary election on February 25 last year. She is also estimated to have collected $8,614 from her second role as supervisor of Thornton Township during the first two weeks of May, bringing her total taxpayer-funded earnings during that period to $20,621. The payments came as Henyard, 42, allegedly failed to attend a single public meeting after her election defeat.  Henyard, who served as mayor of Dolton from 2021 to 2025, remained in office until her successor was sworn in on May 5, 2025 and continued in her township role until May 19.  Tiffany Henyard infamously dubbed 'America's worst mayor' has been given the green light to proceed with her bid for County Commissioner of the 5th District in Fulton County Henyard is seen smiling widely when she met former Democratic President Joe Biden in 2024 at the White House. She has since flipped to the Republican ticket  At the hearing Henyard said her residency in Georgia started by May 2025, citing her daughter's school enrollment, a local business and a residential lease that took effect on May 1 last year. In Georgia, candidates for county commissioner must live in the district for at least one year prior to the election. The Fulton County Board of Elections voted 3-1 to allow her candidacy to proceed, determining she met the statutory threshold. After the hearing Henyard addressed the controversy in a statement to Daily Mail. 'I want to address the residency challenge that has been raised against me. It is baseless, politically motivated, and without merit,' she said. Henyard maintained there should have been no question about her eligibility, saying: 'Let me be clear: there is no legitimate question about my residency in Fulton County, Georgia.' She added that she had secured a lease and established a business locally, arguing: 'Residency is established by where a person actually lives and intends to remain.' Addressing criticism over holding office in Illinois while relocating she had previously said she was 'a lame duck.'  Public records show Henyard received more than $20,000 of taxpayers money while she was living in Georgia. She claimed she did nothing wrong and was 'a lame duck' She is running unopposed in the Republican primary that will be held next month In the statement she added that it was 'simply a matter of timing during the transition period before the duly elected successors could be sworn in and officially assume their terms.' She continued: 'And let me address the ELEPHANT in the room directly: YES, I am running as a Republican. I am not running to satisfy anyone’s assumptions about what I should believe, how I should think, or what party I should belong to.  'I am running because the people of Fulton County deserve honest leadership, safer communities, and public officials who are willing to confront hard truths instead of hiding behind politics.'  Henyard is now running unopposed in the May 19 Republican primary for the District 5 seat. She is expected to face a Democratic challenger in the general election in November in what is considered a heavily blue district. Dejia Felicity Swindell, one of the Democratic candidates in the race, told the Daily Mail that voters have raised serious concerns about Henyard’s candidacy. 'Many voters have reached out with serious concerns and I have received considerable communication from voters who express profound concern about the integrity of the process and outcome surrounding Ms. Henyard, particularly when measured against the established facts.' She added that the situation raises broader questions about the system itself. Rival candidate Dejia Felicity Swindell revealed voters have voiced 'profound concern' over the integrity of the process surrounding Tiffany Henyard’s candidacy Democratic candidate Sojourner M. Grimmett said voters expect 'clarity, consistency and accountability' from anyone seeking public office 'While I remain a firm proponent of democratic processes, as do my supporters and the broader District 5 community, the procedural gaps and structural inconsistencies revealed by this case warrant careful examination.' Swindell called for further scrutiny and accountability across both states. 'That said, this situation merits a comprehensive investigation and sustained public discourse to ensure that voters and citizens in both Fulton County's District 5 and Illinois are afforded the representation, transparency and accountability they rightfully deserve.' 'Democratic legitimacy requires not only substantive honesty with the principles of just representation and electoral integrity but also procedural compliance.' She added: 'As the youngest commissioner of Fulton County’s District 5, I promise to honor every voter’s voice. Running for office is not a career move for me; it’s an action deriving from the collective voice of young people across our great nation who are fed up with bureaucracy.' Another Democratic candidate, Sojourner M. Grimmett, emphasized the importance of accountability when asked about Henyard's candidacy. 'Voters expect clarity, consistency and accountability from anyone seeking to serve,' she told the Daily Mail. 'Leadership should always be grounded in integrity, transparency and accountability. Those are non-negotiable values in public service.' Henyard joined the brawl and witnesses said at one point she lost her wig in the melee Her campaign website currently directs visitors straight to a donation page, with little additional information about her platform or policies.  Political scientist Andra Gillespie had previously said that Henyard faces an uphill battle in the race, pointing to the district's political makeup and her high-profile controversies. But Gillespie told Daily Mail that Henyard's candidacy is unlikely to gain traction, warning that 'there is a lot about her candidacy that is problematic.' She noted the district is 'overwhelmingly Democratic,' adding that Henyard 'is a Republican running in an overwhelmingly Democratic district,' a mismatch that significantly weakens her chances. 'She's a newcomer running against experienced politicians who are known quantities in their communities,' Gillespie said, pointing out that local candidates have 'deeper roots' and established voter bases. Even without the controversies surrounding her time in Illinois, Gillespie said Henyard would still struggle, adding: 'I don't think that she would be a factor in this particular race.' She went further, describing the bid as largely symbolic: 'Her candidacy is inconsequential… it will be treated like a vanity campaign more so than anything else.' While Henyard may coast through the Republican primary unopposed, Gillespie said the general election presents a far steeper challenge, noting it is 'highly unlikely that she would be competitive.' Tiffany Henyard's mugshot following a July 2016 arrest on a charge of criminal trespass to vehicles in Dolton, Illinois Ronald Henyard, 65, was shot in the neck in an alley in the 1300 block of South Kedzie Avenue in the city’s North Lawndale neighborhood last month 'The novelty of the candidacy gets her media attention. I don't think it gets her votes,' she added. Henyard's tenure in Illinois was marred by allegations of financial mismanagement, legal disputes and federal scrutiny. In February 2025, she lost her re-election bid by a landslide when her opponent Jason House securing 88 percent of the vote. The election came a month after Henyard joined in a brawl at a town meeting after a frequent critic of Henyard took to the podium and launched an aggressive tirade at the mayor that ended with him calling her a 'b***h'. The activist accused Henyard of 'sleeping her way to the top' and being a 'half-a**ed mayor.'   But before he could return to his seat, Henyard's boyfriend charged at the activist. At least one other man stepped in to the fracas and the massive brawl broke out. Henyard was seen bolting into the melee herself, at one point losing her wig, according to multiple witnesses.  She faced a number of controversies during her time in Illinois. Her administration had been subject to multiple investigations, including an FBI inquiry into the handling of public funds, as well as lawsuits alleging misconduct and retaliation against political opponents. She shared selfies with Biden in the background during a visit to the White House in January 2024 Henyard announced on social media that she had been cleared to appear on the ballot for Fulton County commissioner. She issued a follow-up statement to the Daily Mail Henyard has continued to promote herself under the hashtag #supermayor despite all the controversies She was also ordered to pay $10,000 in a dispute with a landlord who accused her of failing to pay rent while in office. In a separate personal development last month, her father, Ronald Henyard, was shot in the neck in Chicago.  He survived and she posted online that he was ‘an innocent victim of this random and heartbreaking violence.’ She said the shooting ‘further highlights what many of us already know’ about gun violence in Chicago and called for ‘stronger action and meaningful solutions.’  Henyard urged Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson to ‘seriously reconsider federal assistance’ from President Donald Trump.  Henyard was also arrested in July 2016 for criminal trespass to vehicles in Dolton. Since she came into public office her mugshot from that arrest has circulated.  The controversies earned her the nickname 'America's worst mayor,' despite continuing to promote herself under the hashtag #supermayor.  No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. 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