Judith S. Kaye, former Chief Judge for the New York State Court of Appeals, was named as an independent counsel to investigate problems surrounding Gov. David Paterson's office.

ALBANY -- Attorney General Andrew Cuomo today recused himself from two investigations of Gov. David Paterson and named the state's former chief judge as an independent counsel to look into what he called "credible problems to be resolved" about the Paterson administration.

Judith Kaye, who was appointed as chief judge to the Court of Appeals by Cuomo's father, will lead probe of whether Paterson or the State Police influenced a Bronx woman to drop a domestic violence case against a top aide to the governor.

A separate investigation focuses on whether Paterson may have broken the state's gift ban by attending the opening game of last fall's World Series at Yankee Stadium and then lied to state ethics agency investigators about his intention to pay for the tickets.