Governor David Paterson's communications director has resigned amid investigations into his role in a domestic violence case involving a close aide and alleged ethics violations.

Peter Kaufmann announced that Thursday will be his last as director of communications for an administration that has been bogged down by questions of abuse of power.

"As a former officer in the United States Navy, integrity and commitment to public service are values I take seriously," Kaufmann said in a statement. "Unfortunately, as recent developments have come to light, I cannot in good conscience continue in my current position."

Kauffman is the third member of the Paterson Administration to leave in a week after The New York Times published damaging allegations that Paterson contacted a woman who was charging his close aide with domestic violence. The state's security chief, Denise O’Donnell, quit the day the allegations were published. The head of the state police Henry Corbitt abruptly retired this week.

An ethics panel charged the governor with violating state law yesterday, after ruling Paterson solicited free tickets to a World Series game at Yankee Stadium and lied about it afterward. Kauffman had been instructed by the governor to tell a reporter that Paterson had been invited to the game by the President of the Yankees, but that turned out not to be true.