---

 ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Jan-2017/504h.png)

 [ LOS ANGELES ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312)

#  Gil Cedillo’s Campaign Ship Sailing into Rough Waters?

January 12 2017

Written by Beth Cone Kramer.

<a class="a2a_button_facebook"></a><a class="a2a_button_twitter"></a><a class="a2a_button_email"></a><a class="a2a_button_print"></a>[](https://www.addtoany.com/share)

 [Comments](#disqus_thread)

THIS IS WHAT I KNOW--City Council incumbent Gilbert Cedillo has set sail on his campaign to retain his District 1 City Council seat. LA’s primary election is March 7. His ship may be off to a rocky start, however. Activist Marc Caswell asks if Cedillo is using his office resources to send campaign emails, which may be in violation of LA Municipal Code section 49.5.5b?

*No City official or employee of an agency shall engage in campaign-related activities such as fundraising, the development of electronic or written materials, or research, for a campaign for any elective office of ballot measure during the hours for which he or she is receiving pay to engage in City business or using City facilities, equipment, supplies or other City resources*.

While we don’t know if Cedillo has been campaigning during office hours, LA’s Marc Caswell believes Cedillo has used city resources to send campaign emails. Caswell, who lives on the border between CD13 and CD1 says he subscribes to the email newsletters for both districts’ council members in order to stay up to date on community news and information.

“I find it odd that I started receiving campaign emails from only Mr. Cedillo when I know I never signed up for them, “ he explains. “I think it’s wholly inappropriate that an elected official would take his taxpayer-funded newsletters *(database)* and use that for campaign emails. And this offense is ever more egregious since Mr. Cedillo didn’t even bother to change his City Hall office address for his campaign emails.”

Caswell says he filed an ethics complaint because “elected officials should not abuse the taxpayer by spending our money on their re-election campaign. Not only is this a clear violation of City Ethics laws but it shows Mr. Cedillo’s clear lack of respect for the voters and residents of Los Angeles.”

This isn’t the first time Caswell has filed an ethics complaint against Councilmember Cedillo. Back in November, Caswell says he sent a complaint about a violation of another law related to emails that was reviewed by the Ethics Commission. He is still awaiting a response.

“Normally, I’m not this nit-picky -- but he keeps violating email ethic laws over and over!” says Caswell.
 Stay tuned. If Caswell is right, Cedillo’s campaign journey may run into some campaign turbulence before he reaches that doc by the primary election bay.

*(Beth Cone Kramer is a Los Angeles writer and a columnist for CityWatch.)*

*-cw*

 [ ![LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/LADWP/dwp%20level%20pay%205-7-25.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/82 "LA DWP #2 (Pay Your Bill Help)")

 ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/banners/signup-for-cw.png)

## Get The News In Your Email Inbox Mondays &amp; Thursdays

 Phone

 [ ![Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/HHR/AHF-rent-too-high.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/component/banners/click/104 "Home - HHR Rent is too High - SB-2")

 ---

##  Featured CityWatch Stories

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/e3/067m-e39a930e.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33250:missing-middle-la-city-plannings-new-approach-to-attainable-housing&catid=429)

### [Missing Middle. LA City Planning’s New Approach to “Attainable” Housing](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33250:missing-middle-la-city-plannings-new-approach-to-attainable-housing&catid=429)

MY TAKE - As if Sacramento’s relentless parade of housing-streamlining legislation hasn’t disrupted Los Angeles neighbo…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/ed/068d-ed5f9acd.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33261:zuckerberg-may-finally-pay-a-price-for-preying-on-our-children&catid=375)

### [Zuckerberg May Finally Pay a Price for Preying on Our Children](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33261:zuckerberg-may-finally-pay-a-price-for-preying-on-our-children&catid=375)

IN MY VIEW - As a mother of two children who has often been on the losing side of family battles against screen time, I…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/88/068h-88c43353.jpeg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33266:california-cant-insure-its-homes-now-sacramento-wants-to-insure-the-trees&catid=385)

### [California Can’t Insure Its Homes. Now Sacramento Wants to Insure the Trees](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33266:california-cant-insure-its-homes-now-sacramento-wants-to-insure-the-trees&catid=385)

INSURANCE EMERGENCY - California homeowners are struggling to find affordable coverage while Sacramento explores a new…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/5e/068b-5ea6d1bc.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33262:will-the-mega-merger-of-equity-residential-and-avalonbay-communities-hurt-tenants&catid=429)

### [Will the Mega-Merger of Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities Hurt Tenants?](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33262:will-the-mega-merger-of-equity-residential-and-avalonbay-communities-hurt-tenants&catid=429)

HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT - Corporate landlords Equity Residential and AvalonBay Communities have officially merged to f…

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/media/yootheme/cache/a2/067c-a222052b.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33241:exclusive-john-mckinney-warns-city-hall-enforce-the-law-demand-accountability&catid=401)

### [EXCLUSIVE: John McKinney Warns City Hall. Enforce the Law. Demand Accountability.](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33241:exclusive-john-mckinney-warns-city-hall-enforce-the-law-demand-accountability&catid=401)

THE BOTTOM LINE - Los Angeles has laws. It has prosecutors. It has billions of dollars flowing through City Hall. What…

---

##  [ LOS ANGELES ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=312)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/068r.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33272:how-likely-is-an-all-la-super-bowl-next-february&catid=312)### [How Likely Is an All-LA Super Bowl Next February?](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33272:how-likely-is-an-all-la-super-bowl-next-february&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/068q.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33271:flying-out-of-lax-its-time-to-streamline-your-airport-strategy&catid=312)### [Flying Out of LAX? It’s Time to Streamline Your Airport Strategy](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33271:flying-out-of-lax-its-time-to-streamline-your-airport-strategy&catid=312)

 [ ![Olympics and the Traffic](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/068o.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33268:la-wants-2-billion-for-the-olympics-taxpayers-deserve-answers-before-writing-the-check&catid=312)### [LA Wants $2 Billion for the Olympics. Taxpayers Deserve Answers Before Writing the Check](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33268:la-wants-2-billion-for-the-olympics-taxpayers-deserve-answers-before-writing-the-check&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/066o.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33239:why-some-los-angeles-car-accident-claims-become-harder-to-prove&catid=312)### [Why Some Los Angeles Car Accident Claims Become Harder to Prove](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33239:why-some-los-angeles-car-accident-claims-become-harder-to-prove&catid=312)

 [ ![](https://www.citywatchla.com/images/stories/Aug-2026/066n.jpg) ](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33228:lausd-demolishes-closed-schools-wasting-public-assets-and-community-hopes&catid=312)### [LAUSD Demolishes Closed Schools, Wasting Public Assets and Community Hopes](https://www.citywatchla.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33228:lausd-demolishes-closed-schools-wasting-public-assets-and-community-hopes&catid=312)
<div data-id="1" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-emailform eb-1 eboxContentLocker"
	data-options='{"trigger":"onPageLoad","trigger_selector":"","delay":3000,"early_trigger":true,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":1,"reverse_scroll_close":true,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":10000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"slideInDown","animation_close":"fadeOutDown","animation_duration":400,"disable_page_scroll":true,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #1 - Global Email Signup Form","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog eb-formVer" role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog1" aria-label="dialog1">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<form action="https://citywatchla.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=34d69f33624fd058ee9b56516&amp;id=4bfa422f51&amp;f_id=00d6c2e1f0" class="eb" method="post" id="mcform-1" name="mcform-1" target="_blank">
			<div class="eb-form-header"><p><img src="/images/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png" alt="be a city watcher" width="350" height="97" loading="lazy" data-path="local-images:/2023/06/be-a-city-watcher.png"></p>
<p>Sign up to receive our special e-news blasts on Monday and Thursday evenings!</p></div>
	
					<div class="eb-field-row">

			
			
			
			<input class="eb-input" type="email" name="EMAIL"  placeholder="Email address"  id="EMAIL" value="" required>

			
		</div>
										
	<div class="eb-footer">
    	<button class="eb-btn" type="submit" name="subscribe" style="background-color:rgba(93, 183, 93, 1);color:rgba(255, 255, 255, 1)">
    		Sign up    	</button>
    </div>
</form>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>
<div data-id="3" 
	class="eb-inst eb-hide eb-yesno eb-3 "
	data-options='{"trigger":"onScrollDepth","trigger_selector":"","delay":0,"early_trigger":false,"scroll_depth":"percentage","scroll_depth_value":80,"firing_frequency":2,"reverse_scroll_close":false,"threshold":0,"close_out_viewport":false,"exit_timer":1000,"idle_time":1000,"close_on_esc":false,"animation_open":"fadeInUp","animation_close":"fadeOut","animation_duration":300,"disable_page_scroll":false,"test_mode":false,"debug":false,"ga_tracking":true,"ga_tracking_id":"G-P16BQ7X1SW","ga_tracking_event_category":"EngageBox","ga_tracking_event_label":"Box #3 - Yes \/ No Donation Popup Box","auto_focus":false}'
	data-type='popup'
	>

	<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-outside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>
	<div class="eb-dialog " role="dialog" aria-modal="true" id="dialog3" aria-label="dialog3">
		
		<button type="button" data-ebox-cmd="close" class="eb-close placement-inside" aria-label="Close">
	<img alt="close popup button" />
	<span aria-hidden="true">&times;</span>
</button>	
		<div class="eb-container">
						<div class="eb-content">
				
<div class="ebox-yes-no">
	<div class="ebox-yn-text">
		
		
		<div class="ebox-yn-headline" style="font-size:22px;color:#888888">
			<p>If you only give once a month, would you consider giving to CityWatch?</p>
<p>Your support fuels our mission to promote and facilitate civic engagement and neighborhood empowerment, and to hold area government and its politicians accountable.</p>
<p>Would you like to help? Even if you can only give $5, it will make a difference.</p>		</div>
			</div>
	
	<div class="ebox-ys-buttons" style="font-size: 16px;">
		
<a
					data-ebox-prevent="0"
		data-ebox-cmd="close"
				target="_self"
		href="https://www.citywatchla.com/donate"
		rel="noopener"
	
	
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#2ec664;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Yes
	</a>
<a
	
	
			data-ebox-cmd="close"
		href="#"
	
	
	class="ebox-ys-btn"
	style="background-color:#ef2345;color:#ffffff;min-width:100px">
	Not Right Now
	</a>	</div>

	</div>			</div>
		</div>
	</div>	
</div>