Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced a powerful new panel to investigate potential wrongdoing by lawmakers.

The panel, formed under the Moreland Act, will have subpoena power and will investigate the influence of campaign contributions and possible misconduct by the state Board of Elections.

Cuomo appointed Nassau County District Attorney Kathleen Rice as one of the commission's co-chairpersons.

The creation of the anti-corruption commission follows a string of federal bribery and embezzlement charges filed against several state lawmakers. Cuomo introduced a package of anti-corruption measures, known as the "Clean Up Albany Act," earlier this year, but the Legislature failed to take up the bill.