NYC Council Aide Fined for Pressuring Subordinates to Donate to Boss’s Campaign, COIB Rules

New York City’s Conflicts of Interest Board on Wednesday announced a finding that Edward Cerna, the chief of staff to City Council member Alexa Avilés, violated City Charter 2604 by soliciting political contributions from subordinates for his boss’s reelection campaign. The board said that in January Cerna texted seven coworkers urging donations to Avilés’s campaign, and four of the seven contributed $200 each.

According to the COIB disposition, the messages were framed as an out-of-office note but nonetheless violated the rule prohibiting public servants from asking subordinates to pay political assessments or contribute to campaigns. The board noted that Cerna acknowledged the conduct and that it breached the city charter, and it orders Cerna to pay a $2,250 fine while remaining in his post as Avilés’s chief of staff.

Avilés, a Democratic Socialists of America member who represents southern Brooklyn’s District 38 and is aligned with the Working Families Party, fended off a primary challenge from Ling Ye, who captured 28% of the vote. The COIB ruling does not directly reflect on Avilés’s election results, but it underscores concerns about fundraising rules for members of the City Council and their staff.

Cerna acknowledged in the COIB disposition that he violated the city charter’s prohibition on soliciting donations from subordinates and that the messages encouraged coworkers to support Avilés’s reelection campaign. Avilés has not publicly commented on the matter, and Cerna will pay the prescribed fine while continuing to serve as Avilés’s chief of staff. The COIB’s action serves as a reminder of the strict limits on staff outreach to colleagues on political campaigns.