ALBANY - The Senate's Republican majority said Wednesday it hired a $450-an-hour special counsel to investigate the Spitzer administration and the scandal that has stalled state government.

The Senate Republicans hired former U.S. Attorney Joseph diGenova at a cost of up to $500,000. He served as U.S. attorney in the District of Columbia in the Reagan administration.

He will investigate possible criminal and ethical violations in the administration of Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer, said Sen. George Winner, an Elmira Republican and chairman of the chamber's investigations committee.

The committee is investigating the case of two Spitzer aides accused of using state police to compile records that tracked Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno's use of state aircraft and a state police driver on trips in which mixed meetings with lobbyists and Republican fundraisers.

The committee meets again on Monday to question state police.

Spitzer spokesman Jeffrey Gordon said the money and time the senators are spending on a redundant investigation could be better used serving taxpayers. “With two ongoing investigations by independent nonpartisan entities it is astounding that the Senate has chosen to spend a half-million dollars of taxpayer money on a partisan and unnecessary Senate investigation,” he said.

The state Ethics Commission and Albany County District Attorney's Office continue to investigate. The state Attorney General's office said the Spitzer aides engaged in misconduct, but no laws were broken.

Bruno spokesman Scott Reif said diGenova will be paid from the Senate's maintenance and operations budget.