Gov. Andrew Cuomo didn’t want to wade into the issue of Senate Minority Leader John Sampson’s selection of Ravi Batra for the Joint Commission on Public Ethics

Katie Morse of YNN Buffalo asked Cuomo, who was at the University of Buffalo today to sign a piece of the UB2020 legislation, about the appointment.

Those are appointments by legislative leaders,” Cuomo said. “This is a joint body. I made some appointments as governor. The legislative leaders made their own appointments. My appointments I’m very proud of. I don’t think it’s appropriate to comment on their appointments.”

Batra’s selection rasies eyebrows because of his connection to former Assemblyman Clarenace Norman, who was found guilty in a corruption case in 2005 and for his work on a judicial screening panel. Oh, and he’s sued “Law & Order” honcho Dick Wolf for a character that was ripped from the headlines.

Cuomo, who has six picks (three Republicans and three Democrats), selected Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore to lead the panel, which replaces the now defunct Commission on Public Integrity.

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