Cuomo Right to Defer

Regardless of whether politics influenced his decision, State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo made the right move last week in handing off two probes of Governor Paterson’s conduct to Judith Kaye, the state’s former Chief Judge.

Mr. Paterson had placed Mr. Cuomo in a tough spot late last month by asking him to look into whether the Governor acted improperly in a case in which a top aide of his was accused of domestic violence last October. Even when Mr. Paterson announced a couple of days later that he would not seek a full term later this year, there were questions about the propriety of Mr. Cuomo—who is expected to seek the Democratic nomination and be the heavy early favorite in the contest—overseeing the probe.

One issue was whether a need sometime soon to turn attention to his campaign could affect the findings and thoroughness of his investigation. Another was a subsequent matter that was tossed into Mr. Cuomo’s lap by the Commission on Public Integrity —whether Mr. Paterson tried to get free World Series tickets last fall and then lied about his intentions to that panel, as it concluded he had.

Ms. Kaye has a well-earned reputation for fairness, and can devote the time to these probes that they deserve.