Judge quits amid probe of sex bribe

An upstate judge has resigned amid an investigation into claims that he bribed an underage girl to try to have her give sexual favors to his son, a watchdog group announced on Tuesday.

George Wittlinger — who’s been the Ancram Town Court judge since 1999 — resigned on Dec. 31 after the Commission on Judicial Conduct notified him it was investigating claims that he encouraged a minor to have sex with his son.

The commission began looking into the matter after an explosive $7 million civil lawsuit was filed by the alleged victim against Wittlinger and his son, Daniel, claiming that the judge not only pressured her into a sexual relationship with his son but offered her money to perform sexual favors on him, the Columbia County lawsuit alleges.

The case was dismissed in October after the accuser stopped appearing in court.