FOR THE RECORD

Last week's issue featured a letter from Jesse Derris, the outside spokesman for Transport Workers Union Local 100, taking issue with our standards for running letters.

Among his complaints was that our letters often run far longer than the limits imposed by the city's three daily papers (as did his own letter, which we ran in full) and are closer to opinion pieces than to the kinds of letters that appear in those journals.

We responded at some length to his charges and explained our policy, while also noting that back in his days as a union insurgent, current Local 100 President Roger Toussaint had taken advantage of the same policy his spokesman was now decrying as alien to good journalistic practice.

And so it was of some interest to discover that after last week's issue was published July 29, the TWU's Web site reprinted Mr. Derris's letter but did not include our response to it. It prefaced the letter by stating, "We know from experience that The Chief not only believes that others are entitled to their "own facts," but that The Chief itself feels entitled to its "own facts."

One salient and indisputable fact that should be mentioned is that Mr. Derris in his letter did not specifically question the accuracy of any of the statements made by past and present TWU officials whose letters had appeared in our pages criticizing Mr. Toussaint. Nor did he question any of the facts presented in Richard Steier's July 25 column, which became the basis for his letter. One of the more-remarkable aspects of Mr. Derris's letter was that not only didn't he attempt to justify Mr. Toussaint's behavior that has spurred so much criticism, he didn't even mention the Local 100 leader or identify him as a client of his public-relations firm.

In a sad way, it's not surprising that the TWU Web site did not print our response, since too many union publications shy away from any airing of what might be viewed as a counterweight to the propaganda they publish to puff up union leaders. But there's also something special about an external union spokesman delivering specious lectures on good journalism while internally the union shows utter disregard for presenting a balanced picture of the issue at hand.

Even some of his supporters believed a few months ago that American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees President Gerald McEntee might be on shaky ground when he sought a new term at the union's international convention in San Francisco, Ca. last week.

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But Mr. McEntee, after incurring some internal wrath for his strident attacks on Barack Obama in trying to help Hillary Clinton secure the Democratic nomination for President, has mended fences since then, and is now supporting the presumptive nominee with similar enthusiasm. That was apparently enough to dissolve the makings of a coup and gain him a new term.

The one noteworthy development from a local standpoint at last week's convention was the election of Veronica Montgomery-Costa to fill the AFSCME vice presidency representing District Council 37 that had been vacant since Joan Reed died.

Ms. Montgomery-Costa recently began her fourth term as president of DC 37's largest local, Department of Education Local 372, after gaining re-election with her usual sneer at democracy by conducting an election confined to a single polling site, DC 37's headquarters, which resulted in a turnout of less than 6 percent of her members.

The AFSCME vote was less controversial, although just as exclusive, since anyone willing to object to her election was unlikely to have had Local 372 pay their plane fare and hotel accommodations.

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Police officers and firefighters wishing to compete in the NYPD vs. FDNY Tennis Tournament Aug. 16 at Crotona Park as part of the GHI Bronx Tennis Classic are reminded that they have to sign up to participate.

Members of the NYPD wishing to play in the tournament, with $2,500 of the proceeds going to each of the Widows and Orphans Funds of the two departments, should contact Police Officer Matthew Rey at (646) 373-1280. Firefighters should call Deputy Chief Ray Stanton at (845) 628-5437.

The tournament begins at 10:30 that morning in the Bronx park, and lunch will be served to all participants and their families.

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Rest in peace, Stan Michels. We'll miss your smile and your friendly critiques at the Inner Circle Show dress rehearsal.