Legislator Kevin McCaffrey's infiltration of Nassau County, Nassau County OTB, and the hijacking of Nassau OTB employees compelled cash
Long Island Business News
Suffolk, Nassau OTB probe ethics conflict
by David Winzelberg
Published: November 24th, 2013
At least one employee of Nassau County Off-Track Betting is questioning whether the head of his employee union, a member-elect of the Suffolk County Legislature, should have a say in Suffolk OTB business.
Teamsters Local 707 President
Kevin McCaffery, whose union represents about 200 Nassau OTB workers,
was elected earlier this month to serve as a Suffolk legislator
representing
the 14th District. In a letter last week, Nassau OTB cashier Jackson
Leeds alerted the Suffolk County Ethics Board to McCaffery’s possible
conflict of interest.
“As a Suffolk County legislator, his duties are to the people of Suffolk
County,” Leeds wrote. “He cannot simultaneously represent the interests
of employees of Nassau OTB, a Nassau County public benefit
corporation.”
McCaffery told LIBN he doesn’t think the two counties’ OTBs are in
competition with each other and he doesn’t see his role as union leader
for Nassau OTB workers as a conflict with issues surrounding Suffolk
OTB.
“If anything, I have the background of dealing with Nassau OTB, which
gives me more insight on the subject than any other legislator out
there,” McCaffery said.
When asked if the legislator-elect’s union job appeared to be a conflict
of interest, Nassau OTB chief Joseph Cairo said, “If you really want to
stretch it. But I don’t see anything that’s apparent to me.”
Cairo added that he’ll instruct the Nassau agency’s counsel to review the situation.
Leeds, a 10-year veteran of Nassau OTB, complained that both union
officials and county OTB management have been too focused on the 1,000
video lottery terminals planned for each county’s OTB and they’re not
paying enough attention to current operations.
“They never worked behind a window,” Leeds told LIBN. “They’re out of touch with the bettors of Nassau County.”
Internet wagering and dwindling handles – the overall money being
wagered – have prompted a consolidation in Nassau OTB’s operations in
recent years; there were 15 betting offices in Nassau in 2003, and now
there are eight. Suffolk OTB, which has seven branch
offices, filed for bankruptcy last year.
These days, according to some analysts, OTB offices exist largely for
political patronage – another reason, according to Leeds, that the
Nassau union chief shouldn’t mix one business with the other.
“Union leaders should not be politicians,” he said. “OTBs are run by
politicians. Being political and doing public good aren’t always
incompatible, but they often are.”
This isn’t the first time a Long Island legislator’s OTB ties have become an issue.
In May 2000, Gregory Peterson, then-president of the Nassau OTB, sued to
prevent Nassau County Leg. Roger Corbin from voting on appointments to
the Nassau OTB’s board of directors. Because Corbin was employed as a
branch manager for New York City OTB and a
member of Teamsters Local 858, which then represented all employees of
Nassau OTB, Peterson alleged Corbin’s legislative role posed a conflict
of interest.
A New York Supreme Court judge issued an injunction preventing Corbin
from voting on OTB appointments, but Corbin appealed and the lower
court’s decision was reversed. The Nassau County Board of Ethics also
chimed in, determining by a 3-2 vote that voting on
OTB appointments didn’t create a conflict because Corbin didn’t
influence policy or engage in labor negotiations.
With McCaffery, some observers say it’s best to proceed with caution.
Anthony Figliola, vice president of Uniondale-based government relations firm Empire Government Strategies, said the legislator-elect may want to recuse himself
from any votes concerning Suffolk OTB until the Suffolk County Ethics Board offers an opinion.
“OTB is a political football,” Figliola said. “It’s better to stay out
of it, especially if you want to get things done in the Legislature.”
David Winzelberg
Reporter
631.913.4247
917.796.1801
Newsday > Long Island
DuWayne Gregory now Suffolk legislature leader, first African-American in that post
Photo credit: Newsday / John Paraskevas | With his wife Erica
at his side, right, DuWayne Gregory is sworn in as Presiding Officer of
the Suffolk County Legislature by county clerk Judith Pascale. (Jan. 2,
2014)
DuWayne Gregory officially became
leader of the Suffolk Legislature Thursday as colleagues cited his
ability to protect the body's independence and to work with County
Executive Steve Bellone. 
Mangano inauguration
Kate Murray induction ceremonyBy a 14-0 vote, with four Republican abstentions, Gregory (D-Amityville) was elected presiding officer, becoming the first African-American to hold the post. His wife and mother were in the crowd at the legislative chambers in Hauppauge, which gave him a standing ovation punctuated by someone blowing a toy noisemaker.
"I will work with all of you to address the many serious issues we grapple with every day," Gregory, 44, told lawmakers in a speech. "We sometimes disagree on issues, but we always do so respectfully, and more often than not, we are able to reach a consensus we can all live with."
Democratic legislators who with minor party allies hold a 12-6 majority had chosen Gregory as presiding officer late last month, but Thursday's organizational meeting was their first chance to endorse him formally.
Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk), who was elected deputy presiding officer, nominated Gregory, saying his commitment to public service began well before his 2008 election to the county legislature. He cited Gregory's stint in the U.S. Army and his work as Babylon Town's citizen advocate.
"He'll defend this institution as a coequal branch of government, but will also be someone able to work with the executive," Schneiderman said.
After the late Presiding Officer William Lindsay became ill in early 2012, some Republicans and Democrats said the legislature lost much of its independence from Democratic County Executive Steve Bellone. Suffolk in recent years has grappled with budget deficits that spurred layoffs of hundreds of county workers and borrowing from a dedicated environmental fund.
After facing a $180 million deficit last summer, Suffolk is projected to end 2013 with a gap of about $13 million. The county, however, is relying on initiatives including borrowing for rising pension costs to balance the budget.
Bellone Thursday referred to Suffolk's continuing budget problems.
"I can tell you that in Legislator Gregory as presiding officer, you have somebody that has the vision, dedication and wisdom to lead our county through what are still difficult times," Bellone told lawmakers.
Legis. William Spencer (D-Centerport) said Gregory has the right temperament for the job.
"I've never seen him get angry, never seen him raise his voice," Spencer said. "But I've seen him stand his ground."
Also Thursday, the legislature welcomed four new members: Democrats William Lindsay III of Bohemia and Monica Martinez of Brentwood; and Republicans Kevin McCaffrey of Lindenhurst and Robert Trotta of Kings Park.In setting legislative rules for the next two years, lawmakers also narrowly passed an amendment by Minority Leader John M. Kennedy Jr. (R-Nesconset) to ensure that public hearings for local laws cannot be closed if the proposed bill has been substantially altered with less than two days' notice.
Kennedy's amendment, which passed 10-8, was inspired by Bellone's support of a referendum that would have asked voters to merge the independently elected offices of the county treasurer and comptroller. Lawmakers revised the referendum proposal minutes before a public hearing last July, but closed the hearing that same day over objections.
A state court judge later said that bill was passed improperly, citing the last-minute revisions, and removed the merger referendum from the ballot.
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