The episode has been an embarrassment for Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose office appointed two of the commission's four members.

In 1851, his resignation was finalized, and the colonial office appointed Douglas as governor.

The 11-member international panel has a limited mandate: to "observe" the workings of a commission of inquiry, which the president's office appointed last fall.

They agreed that sheriffs, commissions, board members, judges, coroners, auditors, clerks, and many other offices should no longer be appointed but rather chosen through election.

The front office, which used the expiration of Oh's five-year contract as a graceful moment to ease him out, appointed Motoji Fujita as manager.

The Mayor's office appointed Gerald Mitchell, chief of the Correction Department, as the acting commissioner.

Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg distanced himself from the board, saying he had not known of its existence even though his office had appointed two of its members.

In any given year, Mr. Thompson said in his letter, his office can appoint roughly 450 people.

Ms. DiFiore's office has even appointed a commission to find out what happened in the Deskovic case and to make sure it never happens again.

At the outset, the local Bureau of Land Management office encouraged the group and appointed an employee to serve on its board.