Mayoral candidates Robert J. Grey Jr. and William J. Pantele today jointly called on Del. Dwight Clinton Jones to reject his endorsement from the Richmond City Democratic Committee.

Appearing this afternoon with several committee leaders in a news conference at the Capitol, Grey, a lawyer, and Pantele, the city council president, said the committee's endorsement is tainted and reflects poorly on the Democratic Party because it was not made through a fair and open process.

"We are calling on Delegate Jones to be more statesmanlike," said James Nachman, a former committee chairman and a supporter of Pantele. "If [Jones] is going to be mayor, he has to understand fundamental fairness is an absolute necessity."

Jones picked up the committee's endorsement at last night's meeting at the Science Museum of Virginia. No vote was planned, but a supporter of Jones made a motion from the floor for the committee to endorse him. The vote prevailed with support from about two-thirds of the more than 80 members present, Nachman said. The committee has about 200 members.

Mayoral candidate Paul Goldman, who objected to the endorsement earlier today, said he plans to challenge the backing under party rules. Goldman is a former state Democratic Party chairman.

Kevin O'Holleran, Jones' campaign manager, said the endorsement is legitimate. "The fact remains we got endorsed by 70 percent of the committee," he said. "The body elected to do what it decided to do."