Gov. Andrew Cuomo is defending his corruption commission’s focus on the Legislature rather than the executive branch, saying New York’s long run of corruption cases involved lawmakers.

But state Republican Chairman Ed Cox says that since 2008, Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer resigned in scandal and Democratic Gov. David Paterson paid a hefty fine for an ethics violation involving World Series tickets from the New York Yankees. In 2006, Democratic Comptroller Alan Hevesi resigned in disgrace amid state investigations.

Cuomo referred to the Legislature when he told public radio’s “Capitol Pressroom” that “we know where we have a problem.”

The interview Wednesday came a day after a member of the Moreland corruption commission said the panel appointed by Cuomo and Attorney General Eric Schneiderman never probed those Democrats or their offices.

(AP)