Candidate running for Herndon Mayor faces ethics violations

Two Herndon Town Council members are facing allegations of ethics violations related to their involvement in a 2024 Juneteenth celebration and concerns over partisan influence in local elections. 

Councilmember Pradip Dhakal, who is running for Herndon Mayor in the Nov. 5 election, and Cesar del Aguila, who is also seeking reelection to his Town Council position, are accused of personally sponsoring the Juneteenth celebration. The act raised concerns about whether they used their public offices for personal gain as it potentially violated Section 2.5 of the town’s Code of Ethics. 

Further controversy surrounds Dhakal’s recent endorsement by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee, which led to his name being prominently displayed on a sample ballot—a benefit not afforded to his fellow Democrat, Keven LeBlanc. This selective endorsement has sparked concerns among residents that party interests may be overriding the traditionally nonpartisan nature of Herndon’s local government. 

In response to the accusations, del Aguila dismissed them as “bull puck.” He denied any claims of sponsoring the Juneteenth event for personal gain, saying the council has consistently prioritized the town’s best interests.

He explained that a primary caucus held by the Fairfax County Democratic Committee led to Dhakal winning the majority, which secured him the endorsement.

“As part of the primary process, the candidates agree, if they’re not successful, to withdraw their name and support the winner, just like every other primary,” del Aguila said. 

According to the data from Fairfax Democrats, Dhakal won with 56.93% of the vote, while LeBlanc received 43.07%. Both Dhakal and LeBlanc are listed as individuals in the mayor race, but they openly identify as Democrats.

Amid allegations, del Aguila acknowledged making a financial contribution to the Juneteenth celebration but denied any claims of personal gain. He said his support was motivated by a desire to expose residents to various cultural events. Driven by a commitment to expanding Herndon’s multicultural initiatives, del Aguila has garnered support from residents advocating for a broader range of event offerings in the town.

“I just want everyone to know that I support multicultural events. I don’t expect to get anything,” del Aguila said. 

The Town Council voted to allocate a $15,000 taxpayer-funded donation for the Juneteenth celebration and placed the campaign logos of three council members—Dhakal, del Aguila, and Donielle M. Scherff, who is serving her first term and is not seeking reelection—on the event flier. The flier with Dhakal’s campaign logo also appears on his Facebook page.

In fact, the Community Cultural Festivals Policy Statement specifies that community-based events should not directly benefit any business or individual, and the town does not “promote or advocate political or religious events.”

This article is reposted from the Fairfax Times.