Rachel Slajda August 26, 2010, 4:42 PM

A state investigator said today that Gov. David Paterson (D-NY) mislead investigators under oath about paying for tickets to Game One of the World Series — something that could warrant criminal perjury charges against the governor.

Judith Kaye, a retired judge appointed by the state attorney general, said in her report that Paterson lied to the state ethics commission when he said he had intended to pay for the tickets for his son and his son’s friend before the game.

“Portions of the Governor’s testimony before Commission staff were inaccurate and misleading,” at the least, Kaye said in her report.

“The evidence … warrants consideration of possible criminal charges by the District Attorney, who will make the ultimate decision regarding whether or not charges should
be brought.,” Kaye said. The Albany district attorney, David Soares, has jurisdiction over the case.

Soares’ office did not immediately return a request for comment. (Late update: His office tells us only that “the matter is under review.”)

In February, Paterson testified before the Commission on Public Integrity that he had written a check for $850 before the game, brought it with him to the game, and gave it to an aide, who mailed it the next day. But the evidence, Kaye wrote, shows that Paterson couldn’t have written the check first: For one, he didn’t know how much the tickets were worth prior to the game. For another, the check was written by an aide, not Paterson himself.

Paterson never intended to pay for his own ticket, considering it part of his official duties.

The commission had also found that Paterson lied, forwarding their report to the AG’s office, who appointed Kaye to look into it.

In July, Kaye recommended no charges for Paterson over allegations that he got involved in a domestic violence case involving a close aide. She did, however, say he acted improperly when contacting the victim, his aide’s girlfriend.

Kaye Report on Yankee Tickets

David Paterson, Ethics