Rogers to Lead East Hampton Dems

Cate Rogers was elected chairwoman of the East Hampton Town Democratic Committee on June 20, the culmination of a months-long changing of the guard that saw accusations of manipulating the process and a lawsuit that was dismissed. 

Ms. Rogers, a member of the committee who until recently was a member of the town’s zoning board of appeals and served as its vice chairwoman, prevailed over Rona Klopman. Ms. Klopman had filed an Article 78 action against the committee to determine its “true current membership,” which she charged had been manipulated by Jeanne Frankl, the committee’s longtime chairwoman, who is retiring. The action was dismissed last month. 

Twenty-nine members of the committee cast votes, with Ms. Rogers winning approximately 60 percent to Ms. Klopman’s 40 percent, with votes weighted based on the number of Democrats in each district who voted in the last gubernatorial election. 

In a statement issued by the committee, Ms. Rogers said that, “our committee is known for the excellent work we’ve done in connecting with our voters and their issues and the community at large and I intend to sustain and to further that reputation. 

Ms. Rogers serves on the town’s energy sustainability advisory committee. She is also a climate leader in former Vice President Al Gore’s Climate Change initiative. She was unavailable to comment on her election as she was attending a climate conference in Europe this week, according to Betty Mazur, the committee’s vice chairwoman.

“I am excited that Cate Rogers has been elected by a strong majority of the Democratic Committee to lead and take us into the future,” Ms. Frankl said in the statement issued by the committee. “Cate has the experience and vision to inspire us and the temperament to bring us together in working for sound, progressive, forward-looking Democratic governance both locally and nationally.” 

In the same statement, Ms. Rogers thanked Ms. Frankl for her service and said that, “We will work hard collaboratively and fulfill our mission as Demo- crats dedicated to our community and our country.”