HEARING TO HELP DETERMINE FATE OF PARTY LEADERS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: LYNN BREZOSKY Associated Press

ALBANY -- A hearing held Saturday will help determine if the state's Independence Committee ousts its current leadership.

Independence Party officials accuse Chairman Jack Essenberg and five other party officers -- Thomas Pecoraro, Lawrence Rosenbaum, Nadar Saygh, Wanda Chenot and John Horan -- of improprieties that include bullying meeting agendas and holding improper votes.

The officers also are accused of backing a slate of Rochester-area candidates for local office without proper party input.

Earlier this month, a midlevel state appeals court unanimously overruled a lower court and said party …