Ravi Batra
Surrogate's Court Candidate Anderson's $225K Loan
A Manhattan Surrogate's Court candidate, Milton Tingling, is calling on the attorney general to investigate the $225,000 loan received by one of his opponents, Nora Anderson.
The loan was disclosed in Anderson’s campaign finance filing (for the period of January 12-July 11, 2008) and the money came from Seth Rubenstein, an attorney in Brooklyn.
Ravi Batra, Tingling's finance chair, said in a letter to Andrew Cuomo's office, dated today, that the loan could "serve to undermine public confidence" in the court. In a brief interview Batra told me he wants an investigation to "insure that there is no pay-to-play violation, and that all contributions are legal and not criminal. read more »
Dinkins and Rangel Sign on to Tingling's Campaign
David Dinkins has been named campaign chairman for Manhattan Surrogate's Court candidate Milton Tingling. The campaign also announced that Charlie Rangel will serve as honorary chair. Ravi Batra (of Law and Order fame) is serving as the finance chair.
It just adds a bit more name recognition to this competitive, quiet race.
Tingling is running against Nora Anderson and John Reddy.
With Friends Like These...
Quick to sing the judge's praises was Ravi Batra, the politically wired Brooklyn attorney. In press statement this afternoon, Mr. Batra referred to Mr. Lippman as "the zenith of merit." He also concluded that "the Lippman cross-endorsement by all major political parties proves that politics loves and celebrates merit." read more »
Of course, Mr. Batra knows much about the celebration of merit. He's received more than a few lucrative appointments from pals in the New York judiciary, two of whom have been censured for presiding over cases that involved Mr. Batra, without disclosing their personal relationships. As we recall, he also knows a thing or two about making judges.
And speaking of Mr. Batra and of Brooklyn, he's also the guy who sued the producers of Law & Order last year... for defamation of character.
