Questioning His Integrity

The big news over the weekend was an allegation by Harold Handy's father that Sheriff David Bartlett had attempted to bribe his son, the alleged victim of an assault during a Fourth of July party at the home of Alex Rosenstrach, with $700,000 provided by Rosenstrach. That allegation was promptly denied by his son: "Harold Handy III denies his father's allegations of Bartlett bribery." 

On Tuesday, Sam Hodge, chair of the Columbia County Democratic Committee, issued a press release with perhaps more credible disturbing news about Bartlett.

Sheriff Bartlett's $57,000 Pay-to-Play Scheme

On October 25, 2021, Sheriff Bartlett announced that an Alabama company, Black Creek Integrated Corporation, was selected as the new records management system for the Columbia County Sheriff's Office (CCSO). On August 18 2021, the Board of Supervisors, on Bartlett's urging, approved a $57,000 contract with the company.

A mere eight weeks before the Board of Supervisors approval, Bartlett's campaign accepted a $500 donation from Black Creek. In total, Bartlett has accepted $3,500 from the Alabama-based corporation.

"This is corruption, there's no other way to describe it," said Sam Hodge, the Chair of the Columbia County Democratic Committee (CCDC). "Taking money from an Alabama-based corporation that has business with the CCSO is unethical and wrong. Why on earth would a corporation in Alabama donate to a political candidate in Columbia County, New York, if not to gain access and secure a contract worth thousands? This is a pay-to-play scheme, plain and simple."

CCDC will be filing a formal complaint with the New York State Board of Elections and will be requesting that the New York State Attorney General's Office open a criminal investigation.

According to public campaign finance records, Black Creek is not the only CCSO vendor that has donated to Bartlett's campaign. Another company, Global Tel Link Corporation, donated $500 to the Bartlett campaign. Global Tel Link is the telecommunication company that was awarded the contract to provide the inmate telephone system for the Columbia County Jail.

By accepting these donations, Bartlett also likely violated the Columbia County Code of Ethics ("Code"). Bartlett, who is a county employee under Section 48-2 of the Code, is not permitted to accept "directly or indirectly" more than $75 "under circumstances in which it could reasonably be inferred that the gift was intended to influence him or could reasonably be expected to influence him or her in the performance of his or her official duties or was intended as a reward for any official action on his or her part (see Section 48-8a)." Similarly, Bartlett had an obligation when he sought approval from the Board of Supervisors on August 18 to disclose "on the official record the nature and extent of any direct or indirect financial or other private interest he ha[d] in such legislation (see Section 49-8e)."

Update: The press release from the Columbia County Democratic Committee wonders, "Why on earth would a corporation in Alabama donate to a political candidate in Columbia County, New York . . . ?" Well, here's the connection.

The LinkedIn page for Thomas Lanphear, general sales manager at Black Creek Integrated Systems Corp., which is going to be the new records management system for the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, indicates that Lanphear spent twenty-seven years with the CCSO, retiring in May 2017.