Ex-assistant who accuses embattled ‘Dolton Dictator’ Tiffany Henyard of silencing rape accusations comes forward and explains how she’s fighting ‘for every woman who’s been in my position’ He spoke in detail through tears.
Fenia Dukes identified herself in a video statement. Monday NBC Chicago The former employee alleges in the lawsuit that she was quickly fired by the Illinois mayor after being sexually assaulted by a high-ranking employee during a taxpayer-funded business trip.
In a video statement, Dukes tearfully detailed her claim that Dolton City Trustee Andrew Holmes attacked her after leaving her alone after dinner on the Las Vegas Strip last May. . Her allegations are currently under federal investigation.
“My last memory is waking up in his room,” she said of an older employee she trusted and affectionately called “Uncle Dru.”
Dukes claims in her lawsuit that she was fired shortly after she brought the allegations against Holmes to Henyard. She feels it was especially painful for her because her mayor had previously mentored her and even suggested that he might one day replace her.
“She protected me,” she said of the leader, who is now under intense investigation but boasts of being a “super mayor.”
“I’m teaching you the game, and I want you to have the opportunities that I’ve had, because I’m the first black woman mayor of Dalton, and you might sit in my seat.” Because I can’t do it,” she said.
Dukes tearfully insisted that she only filed the lawsuit to help others in a similar position.
“This has already been a long journey for me,” she said in the video.
“I am fighting for every woman who has ever been in my position,” Dukes said. “I’m fighting for my sister who doesn’t have a voice. I’m fighting for my sister who’s scared. I’m fighting for my sister who doesn’t have a sister.”
“I’m not just fighting for myself.”
According to NBC Chicago, Holmes did not respond to repeated requests for comment.
The village of Dalton told the outlet that an “independent third-party company” and “Ms. Dukes have refused to cooperate with our investigation.”
The newspaper reported that the officer, who called Dukes a “hero” for trying to help him, had previously been “interrogated and denied knowing anything about these allegations” before he was demoted and allegedly faced legal action. It was denied,” he claimed.
“This is nothing more than two disgruntled village employees trying to drain taxpayers’ hard-earned money,” the village claimed.
“The village looks forward to defending these claims.”
Trustee Dalton hired former Chicago mayor and former federal prosecutor Lori Lightfoot to lead the investigation into Mayor Henyard.
