Delaware County (NY) DSS attorneys are allowed to derive private benefit from their public employment

Policies of Counties in New York are, very clearly, made under the guidance of a County Attorney.

The Delaware County Department of Social Services is engaged in the following activities:

(1) as a "neutral" court-appointed investigator for purposes of adoption;
(2) as an investigator of child neglect and abuse, which may result in removal of children from parents into foster care where the Department of Social Services is the child's legal guardian, and adoption of the child out of foster care, for which DSS gets federal incentive money.

It is very clear that attorneys for DSS as an investigator for purposes of all adoptions in the County, as legal guardians for children in foster care, as initiators of adoption proceedings out of foster care - should not have their own private adoption practice on the side, it is a complete conflict of interest.

I also know that former judge Carl Becker did have a private adoption practice on the side, concocted indicted reports on the Social Services side in cases where his private clients were involved absolving his clients so as to keep his lucrative private business intact.

I also know that the current County Attorney Porter Kirkwood was engaged in private practice representing individuals sued for elder abuse - which was completely contrary Porter Kirkwood's obligation as a prosecutor of elder abuse as DSS attorney.

With that in mind, I made a FOIL request with Social Services whether there are policies prohibiting private practice, and specifically, private adoption practice to DSS attorneys.

And, once again, County Attorneys are those who "guide" the County in creating (or not creating) such policies.

Obviously, County Attorneys and Assistant County Attorneys (for DSS) saw a direct financial benefit NOT to create policies prohibiting them a private practice on the side, or, specifically, a private adoption practice on the side.

So, DSS attorneys are at the same time acting as attorneys for investigators for all adoptions in the county, as prosecutors of child neglect which may result in removal of children and supply of children for adoption in the county, and as private adoption attorneys.

Nothing too corrupt.