Cuomo appoints former state chief judge to probe Paterson

New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Thursday he appointed Judith Kaye, the state's former chief judge, as an independent counsel to oversee investigations related to the office of Governor David A. Paterson.

Cuomo made the announcement in a conference call with reporters Thursday afternoon. The investigations are into whether Paterson had illegal contact with a woman who had accused a Paterson aide of domestic violence.

In a separate scandal, Paterson is also accused of illegally obtaining free World Series tickets from the New York Yankees in the fall.

With AP, Bloomberg News