Former Alexandria City Councilman Mo Seifeldein‘s decision to wear an Alexandria City Council polo shirt while participating in a housing protest Tuesday has drawn questions from residents about the appropriate use of city-branded clothing by former officials and potential voter confusion.
Seifeldein, who served on the City Council from 2019 to 2021 and is running for Congress, wore the official city polo while positioning himself as a mediator during a demonstration outside the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority headquarters on Wythe Street. More than a dozen current and former ARHA tenants protested poor living conditions and delayed repairs.
The congressional candidate, who announced his bid to challenge Rep. Don Beyer, D-8th, in the 2026 Democratic primary, wore the city-branded shirt while addressing ARHA CEO Erik Johnson and arranging to compile tenant concerns for presentation to the housing authority.
“This is wrong,” Seifeldein told ALXnow during the protest. “Our elected officials, including city council members, need to put more pressure on ARHA.”
When ALXnow Publisher Ryan Belmore asked residents on Bluesky about a former council member wearing city council attire at a public rally, several expressed concerns about the appropriateness of the decision.
“He’s not wearing it to the grocery store or a kid’s t-ball game. He’s wearing it to take political action,” one resident commented. “Given that an average passer-by could easily interpret that as being someone currently on the council, it feels like a really questionable decision to me.”
Another resident noted concerns about the use of the city seal, while others questioned whether it could mislead the public about Seifeldein’s current official capacity.
“He’s not on Council and doesn’t speak for them,” wrote one commenter, who also suggested the city clerk might have concerns about use of city branding.
The incident raises questions about whether former officials should use government-branded materials after leaving office. Virginia’s State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act governs ethics for state and local officials, but does not specifically address former officials’ use of government property or clothing.
Federal ethics guidelines state that government employees “shall protect and conserve Federal property and shall not use it for other than authorized activities,” according to 5 CFR Part 2635. The guidelines also prohibit wearing official uniforms during political activities. However, these federal rules apply to current employees, not former officials.
Alexandria’s specific policies regarding former officials’ retention and use of city-issued clothing and materials could not be determined. Most jurisdictions have guidelines about the return of government property and appropriate use of official branding after leaving office, though specific policies vary.
The use of official government branding by former officials can raise questions when those individuals are seeking other elected positions or taking public advocacy roles.
Seifeldein left the City Council in 2021, choosing not to seek reelection after briefly considering a mayoral run. During his tenure, he became the first Sudanese American elected to the council and sponsored initiatives including Virginia’s first independent Community Police Review Board.
In his August congressional announcement, Seifeldein positioned himself as an advocate for “transformative rather than incremental change” and emphasized his working-class background and experience with financial hardship. He recently resigned from his position as a federal attorney at the Department of Labor in protest of Trump administration policies.
ALXnow reached out to Seifeldein, City Manager Jim Parajon and Mayor Alyia Gaskins for comment on the city’s policies regarding former officials’ use of city-branded materials. None responded to requests for comment.
A spokesperson for Seifeldein’s campaign responded to ALXnow at 8:53 p.m. with the following;
There’s not much to the shirt Mo wore, it’s just one of his favorites. We’re happy to provide the quote below from Mo:
“I was there today to support ARHA residents who are dealing with unresolved maintenance tickets, unexplained fees, and in some cases, mold in their homes. These are not just inconveniences, they’re unsafe and unhealthy conditions that no one should have to live with. These are our friends and neighbors and they’ve been navigating unbearable circumstances for far too long. Everyone deserves to feel safe and respected in their own home, and I will keep fighting for them.”
Political analysts rate Virginia’s 8th Congressional District as safely Democratic, making the Democratic primary the determining contest. Beyer, 75, won his last race with 71.5% of the vote and reported $681,353 in cash on hand as of June 30, according to Federal Election Commission filings.
