As a longtime Democratic committee member and ex city district leader, I have seen some sleazy things in local politics, but the May14 party designating convention takes the cake.

For the past two months, as grassroots Democratic committee members caucused across the city, Tom Brennan was supported for re-designation for School Board by seven of the eleven committees. Because of the number of candidates, and bullet voting, no third Board candidate had the 50 percent needed to settle the matter, which came down to Brennan and another incumbent, Cynthia Elliott.

The usual course of action is a second ballot. But there was a catch, a new loophole in party rules. The "convention" was for just 10 people. Instead of the committee members voting, only 10 of the committee leaders would cast the entire weighted vote of each committee, however they wished, regardless of the rank and file committee opinion. It was a puppet show.

In stunned silence, my fellow committee members and I watched our so-called leaders distribute our weighted vote and get Elliott just past 51 percent. For example: In District 21, Brennan beat Elliott in the caucus 15-1, but "leader" Anthony Plonszynski awarded Elliott half of our votes. In District 24, Brennan led Elliott 9-1, but "leader" Joe Rittler split our vote 60-40. My favorite was District 26, where Brennan beat Elliott 10-1, and "leader" Abby Rowe, daughter of City Council member Carolee Conklin, cast all the votes for Elliott. In the districts where Elliott won the caucus, the leaders cast 100 percent of the vote for her.

Brennan has brought integrity and experience to the Board, but he has acted like he didn't care whether he was designated or not, and is now possibly gearing up for a City Council primary. He dismisses the convention outrage, saying "we all knew the rules ahead of time." Tom can strike a gracious pose if he wants, but this matter is not between him and the leaders, it is between me, and other grassroots committee members, and the leaders who betrayed us.

These leaders did not even pretend to respect the views of the people they claim to lead and represent. They need to hear from us. The public needs to know their names, and those of their enablers in the County Legislature, such as Paul Haney and Carrie Andrews, who need to know there is nothing sacred about their incumbency, either. I suggest that committee members who object to this travesty refuse to circulate party petitions for Elliott, which is our right under the rules.

JEANNE MASTEN, ROCHESTER