ALBANY - State Inspector General Kristine Hamann, who was appointed by former Gov. Eliot Spitzer and criticized for her two investigations into his administration, has resigned, according to a state official.
The official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the move hadn't yet been announced.
Republicans criticized her for her investigation of Spitzer when his top aides were accused of plotting to discredit Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno. Her July 2007 report on the scandal involving the use of state police to compile travel records on Bruno was one page.
She said she determined in her investigation that she had a conflict of interest because her boss, former Secretary to the Governor Rich Baum, was one of the Spitzer officials who had internal conversations about the case. Hamann reported to Baum, who recently left the executive chamber.
In February, Hamann also faced scrutiny for her 10-month investigation of a former Spitzer energy policy adviser who was accused of threatening the job of a Republican-appointee on the independent Public Service Commission.
Her investigation found no conclusive proof that Spitzer energy adviser Steven Mitnick threatened the job of state Public Service Commission member Cheryl Buley or tried to force her to vote for Spitzer policies. Buley had said Mitnick threatened her job last year to make room for a Spitzer appointment.
Bruno had no comment, said spokesman Mark Hansen. Bruno and Senate Republicans have questioned Hamann's investigations and whether she was independent from the governor.
Hamann had no immediate comment.
She could be replaced in the $145,000-a-year job by Gov. David Paterson, who succeeded Spitzer last week after he was implicated in a prostitution investigation.
Hamann spent 30 years in the Manhattan district attorney's office. She served as executive assistant district attorney to Robert Morgenthau since 1998, leading the development of procedures for DNA testing and the creation of a child advocacy center.
Before that, she headed the office's criminal court trial division and headed training efforts for three years and worked briefly in the district attorney's office when Spitzer worked there.
The Inspector General's office is responsible for detecting and investigating allegations of corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest and abuse involving state agencies, departments, commissions and authorities headed by appointees of the governor.
AP-ES-04-03-08 1658EDT
Republicans criticized her for her investigation of Spitzer when his top aides were accused of plotting to discredit Senate Republican leader Joseph Bruno. Her July 2007 report on the scandal involving the use of state police to compile travel records on Bruno was one page.
She said she determined in her investigation that she had a conflict of interest because her boss, former Secretary to the Governor Rich Baum, was one of the Spitzer officials who had internal conversations about the case. Hamann reported to Baum, who recently left the executive chamber.
In February, Hamann also faced scrutiny for her 10-month investigation of a former Spitzer energy policy adviser who was accused of threatening the job of a Republican-appointee on the independent Public Service Commission.
Her investigation found no conclusive proof that Spitzer energy adviser Steven Mitnick threatened the job of state Public Service Commission member Cheryl Buley or tried to force her to vote for Spitzer policies. Buley had said Mitnick threatened her job last year to make room for a Spitzer appointment.
Bruno had no comment, said spokesman Mark Hansen. Bruno and Senate Republicans have questioned Hamann's investigations and whether she was independent from the governor.
Hamann had no immediate comment.
She could be replaced in the $145,000-a-year job by Gov. David Paterson, who succeeded Spitzer last week after he was implicated in a prostitution investigation.
Hamann spent 30 years in the Manhattan district attorney's office. She served as executive assistant district attorney to Robert Morgenthau since 1998, leading the development of procedures for DNA testing and the creation of a child advocacy center.
Before that, she headed the office's criminal court trial division and headed training efforts for three years and worked briefly in the district attorney's office when Spitzer worked there.
The Inspector General's office is responsible for detecting and investigating allegations of corruption, fraud, criminal activity, conflicts of interest and abuse involving state agencies, departments, commissions and authorities headed by appointees of the governor.
AP-ES-04-03-08 1658EDT
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