The hand-me-down confidential law clerk of the new Delaware County Judge Richard Northrup

Two new judges took their positions in Delaware County, New York as of January 1, 2015:

1. Delaware County Family Court Judge Gary Rosa, with his law clerk Nancy Deming, a continued member of "judicial selection" committee that vetted Gary Rosa; and
2. Delaware County Judge Richard Northrup, former Delaware County District Attorney of many years, with a hand-me-down law clerk Lauren Clark who "served" the hastily-retired judge Carl Becker, known for his legendary misconduct.

  
Usually judges come to the bench with their own confidential law clerks selected - like Judge Rosa did with Nancy Deming.

The fact that Judge Becker's former law clerk Lauren Clark was "selected" as a confidential law clerk by the newly elected Judge Northrup suggests that Judge Northrup formed the confidential relationship with the law clerk during her clerkship for Becker.  While Northrup was engaged in ex parte communication with her as the County judge's law clerk.

Given Northrup's and Becker's record of self-service and corruption, nothing surprises me about either one of them.