The Chief of Staff for a New York City Council member was recently fined substantially by the Conflict of Interest Committee for urging his colleagues to contribute to his boss’s campaign. Edward Cerna, who works for Alexa Avilés, a member of the DSA and Working Families Party, was found to have texted seven coworkers, asking them to support her reelection efforts.
The committee uncovered this in January when they learned that Cerna’s advice to one of his subordinates was a clear infringement of donation guidelines, as four recipients ended up giving $200 each to the campaign.
The COIB noted in a press release that Cerna’s actions went against the Conflict of Interest Act, which prevents civil servants from soliciting funds for political campaigns. Since joining Avilés’s team in 2022, Cerna has mentioned, in his texts, that his message was just a “missing” reminder.
He stated, “For those who know, our candidates are facing significant opponents, and there’s a crucial financial deadline coming up. This is totally voluntary, but if you can, consider donating to the reelection campaign.”
Avilés had a tough electoral season, facing Zoran Mamdani, who garnered support in Southern Brooklyn but not from Lin Ye, who captured 28% of the vote.
Cerna recognized that he violated City Charter section 2604, which makes it clear that public servants should not direct or request anyone to contribute politically. Consequently,he is required to pay a fine of $2,250, although he still retains his role as Chief of Staff for Avilés.
Neither Cerna nor Avilés has provided any comments regarding the situation.
