Guess what, the present Delaware County (NY) Judge Richard Northrup - Delaware County District Attorney in 2014 - had a 4-times sweeter deal with the then Delaware County DSS Commissioner (now former) William Moon.
The contract of Delaware County DSS with the Delaware County District Attorney, signed in 2014 by William Moon and Richard Northrup, is for over $368,000, for the same purpose - to pay for investigators to investigate and prosecute social services fraud.
The interesting thing is that Otsego County has a population of 60,636 (in 2015) with a population density of 61 people per square mile (a reduction of population of 2.6% since 2010).
"The median income for a household in the county was $33,444, and the median income for a family was $41,110. Males had a median income of $29,988 versus $22,609 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,806."
Delaware County has a population of 46,722 (in 2013) - actually, the population has dwindled since then, as evidence by the fact that a maternity hospital announced this year it is closing, and the community pool in Delhi, NY, the County seat, is not going forward.
The population density is 33 people per square mile.
"The median income for a household in the county was $32,461, and the median income for a family was $39,695. Males had a median income of $27,732 versus $22,262 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,357."
Average per capita income in both counties is about the same - around $17,000 a year.
$17,000 is around 150% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Since the majority of populations in the two counties are poor, that entitles residents in both counties to a number of subsidies from the government, see the schedule here.
Of course, there is a possibility that people apply where they are not eligible - but, since population in both Counties is also not quiet advanced in education, it is for those reviewing the application to reject and explain that to people, not to prosecute the admittedly poor population for being poor - but not eligible for help.
Yet, the approach in both counties is that public money needs to be poured into paying extra to the District Attorney's office for prosecutions on behalf of DSS, practically hiring the elected county official to provide his investigators to work for pay for certain class of cases - to recover federal money, by the way.
And, Otsego County DA got paid 4 times less than the Delaware County DA by the respective Social Services Departments.
Over $91,000 paid to Otsego County DA Muehl, out of the pockets of the poor-on-the-average Otsego County taxpayers - to prosecute the poor more vigorously. And to take resources away from prosecuting rampant corruption in Otsego County government.
In Delaware County, with less population and less population density, but the same levels of eligibility to government subsidies as in Otsego County, the levels of fraud in the use of government subsidies must be statistically lower.
If population in Delaware County is 30% lower than in Otsego County, then the numbers of fraud should be statistically lower by about the same levels.
So, the contract to bribe the District Attorney's office into dedicating its limited personnel to prosecute the poor and not other crimes in the county should be 30% less - around $60,000.
Right?
Wrong.
The contract to bribe Dick (oops, Judge) Northrup into prosecuting the poor - and not the rampant corruption in the Delaware County and its Department of Social Services - was $368,332, according to release of records I obtained from Delaware County on a FOIL request last week.
That is 4 times higher than the bribe of Otsego County DSS to Otsego County DA, and 6 times higher than what than what that amount would have been if compared with Otsego County contract and pro-rated by comparative population levels.
Now you have the answer why Dick (Judge) Northrup did not prosecute corruption in Delaware County government.
Now you have the answer why members of Delaware County government wanted Dick Northrup on the bench so badly - and put him there.
Now you have the answer why Dick Northrup chose not to prosecute his investigator Jeff Bowie's nephew Derek Bowie for two assaults and one attempted murder.
Jeff Bowie was a cash cow.
The contract was not a flat-rate contract, but "services-based". So, Dick Northrup had to earn his keep.
And, by the way, the contract for $368,332 for "services" of DA's investigator to work for DSS was signed after the press raised in 2013 the issue why DSS investigators were employed in the DA's office in the first place.
So, instead of laying off DSS investigators working out of the DA's office, DA Northrup signed a contract with DSS to provide paid investigations to the DSS.
Of course, when you are providing paid services to somebody, you have an incentive to overlook any transgressions - such as: crimes - in those who pay you.
One doesn't bite the hand that feeds one, right?
So, Northrup provide paid services to DSS, to the tune of $368,332 of taxpayers' money - and that's only in 2014.
And, when I called the DA's office in 2014 asking to prosecute then-judge Carl Becker (friend of Bill Moon) and the Republican Election Board Chairman Bill Campbell for forgery of public records and fraud, it is now more clear why such a request was rejected.
One doesn't bite the hand that feeds one.
Of course, the DA's office investigators must investigate all reported crimes - and not because somebody pays them extra to investigate some reported crime and not to investigate others.
But, that's not how it happens in Delaware - and Otsego - Counties.
And, Northrup got his reward for his corruption - a judgeship, with his salary immediately perked up, several months into his election.
When you are told that Dick Northrup is not an "Honorable", don't believe it.
It's a job title, nothing else.
Nothing can make a corrupt public official honorable.
But, the question is - will the Delaware County Judge Northrup and the Delaware County former DSS Commissioner Moon be investigated and prosecuted for corruption for this contract?
I doubt that.
After all, John Hubbard is the one who refused to prosecute Carl Becker - without disclosing that Carl Becker was his law partner, and John Hubbard and Dick Northrup did not disclose that fact for 13 years that Becker was on the bench, while appearing in front of him and obtaining thousands of criminal convictions - where all of defendants can now claim convictions were improper and seek their reversals, simply because John Hubbard's involvement with Carl Becker was not disclosed, and that will come at a price to Delaware County taxpayers.
But - corruption pays in Delaware County and in the State of New York.
Honor doesn't.
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