Politics

ALBANY (AP) ― The State Commission of Investigation will examine previous and current probes into whether two of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer's aides attempted to sabotage a political opponent with the help of the state police, agency Chairman Alfred Lerner said Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Democratic Gov. David Paterson -- who replaced Spitzer after he was connected to a prostitution ring and resigned in disgrace -- is asking Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to investigate the state police to determine whether politics has inappropriately interfered with their work.

"Combining politics and police work is a toxic brew," Cuomo said in a written statement Tuesday. "Any questions about political interference within the state police are a serious concern. Our investigation will determine whether or not this has occurred within the state police, and if so to what extent."

Paterson officials would not be more specific Tuesday afternoon about why the governor sought the investigation, first reported Tuesday by the New York Post.

State police did not return multiple calls made Tuesday.

The State Commission of Investigation won't evaluate whether the Democratic Spitzer administration acted illegally or unethically when state police were asked to collect Senate Republican Majority Leader Joseph Bruno's travel records.

The commission will evaluate investigations by Albany County District Attorney P. David Soares, State Inspector General Kristine Hamann and the State Commission on Public Integrity.

"We are concerned that the multiplicity of investigations has been somewhat dysfunctional," said Lerner, who was appointed by former Gov. George Pataki, a Republican.

"As a result of that, we thought it would be appropriate for us to determine whether these processes could be improved. It's no secret that many people in this state have lost confidence in these investigations."

State statute gives the commission broad authority to investigate potential corruption, fraud and mismanagement in government.

It will not investigate Cuomo, who found the administration aides engaged in misconduct, but did not break the law.

Spitzer has denied that he directed the gathering of any documents concerning Bruno's flights and didn't order the release of any documents
to the news media.

Last week, Soares issued a report saying Spitzer may have lied when he told investigators he wasn't involved in the plot, and that Spitzer could have been indicted had he not resigned. Darren Dopp, Spitzer's former communications director and one of the aides implicated in the plot, told Soares that Spitzer was directly involved with the release of the records.

Those new revelations seem to contradict a report Soares issued in September, saying no one in the Spitzer administration acted improperly and he found no evidence of a plot to discredit Bruno.

Hamann was also criticized at the time of the scandal, because she did not conduct a full investigation into the matter, but relied on information from Cuomo's office and reached the same findings of misconduct, but no violation of laws. At the time, Hamann, who was appointed by Spitzer, said it would be a potential conflict of interest if she further investigated the scandal.

The Public Integrity Commission still hasn't completed its now nine-month old investigation into the issue. Spitzer appointed the commission's chairman, executive director and a majority of its members.

(© 2009 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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