Senator wants probe of aide

ALBANY - The chairman of the Senate Committee on Investigations has asked state Inspector General Kristine Hamann to refer her probe of the governor's former top energy adviser to the attorney general's office.

In a letter Thursday, Sen. George Winner, an Elmira Republican, cites doubts about how conflicts of interest are handled by Hamann's office in light of its previous investigation of three other aides to Gov. Eliot Spitzer. She is a Spitzer appointee.

Michael Boxer, the first deputy inspector general, said Friday the office had seen Winner's letter and would respond to the senator “shortly.” He did not say if the inspector general would transfer its investigation to the attorney general.