Former Federal Prosecutor to Investigate State Police

The New York Times by TRYMAINE LEE - April 23, 2008

Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo has appointed Sharon L. McCarthy, a former federal prosecutor, to oversee an investigation into possible political interference in the New York State Police. Mr. Cuomo’s office was asked by Gov. David A. Paterson to begin an inquiry into whether the state police had a rogue unit or officers who gathered and leaked politically damaging information about public officials. Ms. McCarthy spent 12 years in the United States attorney’s office in the Southern District of New York, where as deputy chief of the criminal division and chief of the violent crimes unit, she focused on organized crime and corruption.

She will work exclusively on the state trooper investigation, Mr. Cuomo said in a statement released Tuesday. “I am pleased to have Sharon leading our investigation into this matter,” the statement said. “Having her on our team reinforces the promise I made upon receiving this assignment from Governor Paterson — that we would staff this investigation with a top-notch team of professionals.” About two weeks ago, Mr. Cuomo said that Michael F. Armstrong and Robert B. Fiske Jr. would be special advisers to the investigation. Mr. Fiske, a former United States attorney, was independent counsel in the federal Whitewater investigation. Mr. Armstrong served as chief counsel to the Knapp Commission, which investigated police corruption in New York in the 1970s, and is a former Queens district attorney.

In an unrelated announcement Tuesday, Mr. Paterson announced the appointment of Justice Joseph Fisch of the State Supreme Court as the state’s inspector general, effective May 12. “Judge Fisch is one of New York’s top jurists and I couldn’t be more pleased that a leader of his caliber has decided to take on such a critical watchdog role,” Mr. Paterson said in a statement. “He brings an impressive mix of legal, law enforcement and government experience.” The former state inspector general, Kristine Hamann, resigned last month. She had been heavily criticized by Republicans in the State Senate for cutting short her investigation of the effort by aides of former Gov. Eliot Spitzer to tarnish Joseph L. Bruno, the Senate majority leader. Dennis E. Martin has been the acting inspector general. Justice Fisch was appointed to the State Supreme Court in 2003 after 13 years in the Court of Claims. He will be responsible for investigation of corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest and abuse of state agencies and other departments headed by appointees of the governor.