wheelman reads and spreads the word
Nassau OTB reprimands worker who criticized union chief Kevin McCaffrey
The betting agency reprimanded union activist Jackson Leeds for criticizing McCaffrey, who is head of Teamsters Local 707 and also a Suffolk County legislator.
Nassau OTB has reprimanded a union activist for criticizing his union leader, Teamsters Local 707 chief Kevin McCaffrey, seen in 2016. Photo Credit: John Roca
Nassau OTB has reprimanded cashier and union activist Jackson Leeds for criticizing his own union leader, Teamsters Local 707 Kevin McCaffrey, who also is a Suffolk County legislator.
Without mentioning McCaffrey by name, Arthur Walsh, Nassau OTB general counsel and corporate secretary, said in an April 22 letter that Leeds was “insubordinate” for presenting “verbal objections to the staff and public about the current union leadership.”
Walsh said OTB policies bar workers from setting up information tables or engaging in similar conduct without written OTB consent. Her also said workers are not allowed to enter branches while off-duty except to make a bet or collect a paycheck.
Walsh said the reprimand will be placed in Leeds personnel file and if uncorrected, “future discipline may be imposed up to and including firing.” Leeds can file a grievance if he is “unsatisfied with this letter,” Walsh said.
Leeds concedes he criticized McCaffrey but said the OTB policy is improper because “people have an absolute right to talk about labor matters among themselves whether at work or not.”
McCaffrey, a Lindenhurst Republican who represents the Suffolk Legislature's 14th District, said Nassau OTB put the policy in place because Leeds not only criticized him and the agency but was disrupting employees’ work.
“Some people are never happy,” said McCaffrey. “If he wants to pursue a grievance, we will follow the proper procedures and represent him properly.”
Monday, April 29, 2019
Katuria D'Amato, acting as her own lawyer, questions estranged husband
The judge said he soon would make his ruling on temporary child custody and set a June 7 conference date to discuss the couple's divorce and permanent child custody case.
Katuria D'Amato arrives at matrimonial court in Mineola on Jan. 4. Photo Credit: Howard Schnapp
Former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato and his estranged wife faced off in a Mineola courtroom Monday as she questioned him while acting as her own attorney in their ongoing battle for temporary custody of their children.
The proceeding took on a surreal quality at times as Katuria D’Amato queried the Republican powerbroker about a September 2017 police response to their former marital home in Lido Beach that led to her involuntary hospitalization.
Addressing him as "Mr. D'Amato," the corporate attorney — marking a continuation of her first-ever trial — asked questions aimed at debunking the contention that she had been potentially a danger to herself or others at the time of the police response.
State Supreme Court Justice Joseph Lorintz jumped in repeatedly to remind Katuria D'Amato, 53, not to ask repetitive or leading questions.
At one point, the judge also told the former senator he couldn’t query his estranged wife after he shot back a rhetorical question at her from the witness stand.
Lorintz granted Alfonse D'Amato, now 81, emergency custody of the couple’s son and daughter, now 11 and 9, days after the 911 response when Alfonse D'Amato filed court papers challenging Katuria D'Amato's mental stability.
Police testified previously that Katuria D'Amato was "delusional" after they answered her report of a possible home intrusion, and was saying she believed Alfonse D'Amato would let intruders into the residence who hid behind lasers.
Katuria D'Amato also told police at the time that she hid in a closet and unsuccessfully tried to load a shotgun — because she couldn't find a key to its gun lock — before calling 911, according to other police testimony.
A doctor who treated Katuria D'Amato after police forced her to go to a local hospital testified previously he thought she had a drug-induced psychosis from too much Ritalin — prescribed to treat her ADHD.
"God help us if you had been able to find the key to the lock and get the gun unlocked and loaded," Alfonse D'Amato testified Monday. "…Who knows what you would have done and who may have been a victim?"
But Katuria D'Amato replied that she'd owned the shotgun for years by then — a purchase that she said, during another exchange in court Monday, was in response to a security scare at their home.
"So do you think ... in your 'who knows, what could happen' scenario that since 2014 when I bought the shotgun, I could never find the key?" she shot back at the former senator.
But the judge sustained an objection to her question from Stephen Gassman, Alfonse D'Amato's attorney, and the former senator didn't have to answer her.
The judge said he soon would make his ruling on temporary child custody, and also set a June 7 conference date to discuss the couple's divorce and permanent child custody case.
"It's strange, it's unfortunate and obviously a new experience for me," Katuria D'Amato said later about questioning her estranged spouse, adding that she had become "exhausted" by watching her children "suffer" under the current custody arrangement.
Gassman called the day's proceedings "very unusual," but added that Katuria D'Amato "in no way refuted the very pervasive proof we put on in our case in terms of what really happened."
Alfonse D'Amato said after court that the way he and Katuria's one-time happy life together was ending "was a tragedy, particularly for the kids."
"To hear her make up stories, to hear her try to reinvent what took place that night ... it's sad," the former senator added.
nassau otb grievants await decision
on ny state 457 deferred compensation plan roth option from kevin mccaffrey
Nassau OTB reprimands worker who criticized union leader Kevin McCaffrey
Nassau OTB Nassau has reprimanded a union activist for criticizing his union leader, Teamsters Local 707 chief Kevin McCaffrey, shown. Photo Credit: John Roca
Nassau OTB has reprimanded cashier and union activist Jackson Leeds for criticizing his union leader, Teamsters Local 707 chief Kevin McCaffrey, who also is a Suffolk County legislator.
Without mention McCaffrey by name, Arthur Walsh, Nassau OTB general counsel and corporate secretary, said in an April 22 letter that Leeds was “insubordinate” for presenting “verbal objections to the staff and public about the current union leadership.”
Walsh said OTB policies bar workers from setting up information tables or engaging in similar conduct without written OTB consent. Her also said workers may not enter agency branches while off-duty except to make a bet or collect a paycheck.
Walsh said the reprimand will be placed in Leeds' personnel file and if uncorrected, “future discipline may be imposed up to and including firing.” Leeds can file a grievance if he is “unsatisfied with this letter,” Walsh said.
Leeds conceded he criticized McCaffrey but said the OTB policy is improper because “people have an absolute right to talk about labor matters among themselves whether at work or not.”
McCaffrey said Nassau OTB put the policy in place because Leeds not only criticized him and the agency but was disrupting employees’ work.
“Some people are never happy,” said McCaffrey, “If he wants to pursue a grievance, we will follow the proper procedures and represent him properly.”
Saturday, April 27, 2019
new vests no thoroughbred programs
for bettors when they want them
nassau otb has perverse priorities compounded by ....
nassau otb has perverse priorities compounded by ....
FBI probing Western Regional Off Track Betting
INVESTIGATION: Sources confirm OTB officials have been contacted by the bureau, focus of probe unclear but closing on on easter sunday over the other is ok with the fbi despite ny const art 1 sec 3
BATAVIA – The FBI has contacted individuals associated with the Western Regional Off Track Betting Corp., but the focus of the bureau's inquiry is not yet clear.
Reports of the federal investigators' interest follow a litany of accusations made against OTB officials by former state Sen. George Maziarz. The Newfane Republican publicly aired his claims in February but first made his accusations known in a letter to the New York State Gaming Commission in June of last year.
The online news organization Investigative Post, based in the City of Buffalo, first reported the FBI's interest in Western Regional OTB on Friday.
A source with direct knowledge of the FBI's inquiry confirmed to the Niagara Gazette that the bureau has approached individuals with ties to Western Regional OTB. A second source confirmed the information. Both spoke on the condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of investigations.
Neither the Gaming Commission nor the FBI will address whether probes are underway in their respective offices.
Brad Maione, a spokesman for the commission, said he would not "confirm or deny the existence of an investigation."
A spokeswoman for the FBI, Maureen Dempsey, gave a similar answer in response to questions from the Gazette on Friday.
"We do not confirm or deny any investigation until if and when it's made public through a court filing or a press release," she said.
Maione confirmed that the commission received an outreach from Maziarz but declined to comment on its content or form earlier this week. The Gazette subsequently obtained a copy of the complaint letter, which is dated June 15, 2018 and is addressed to the organization's inspector general.
In the letter, Maziarz alleged that tickets nominally meant to serve as perks for high-end customers at the Batavia Downs Casino were predominantly allotted to friends and family members of OTB officials, including Western New York politicians.
Maziarz made similar claims at his February press conference in the City of Lockport, though his letter to the commission contained specifics not addressed publicly during the press conference.
"WROTB expends hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for payment of sporting events, golf outings, concerts and other entertainment events including luxury boxes at Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres games, ostensivly (sic) and publicly these tickets are for the use of frequent high end customers at the Batavia Downs Casino," the letter reads.
"In reality, the overwhelming majority of these tickets are used by Henry Wojtaszek, his family members and friends, (former North Tonawanda Clerk Treasurer) Scott Kiedrowski, the former WROTB board member and current Vice President of Operations, his family and political allies and members of the OTB Board of Directors," the letter continues.
Maziarz contends in his letter that "none" of the uses are "reported in any financial disclosure reports."
"Diverting public funds to private benefit is expressly prohibited in the Public Officers Law," Maziarz said in his letter.
Kiedrowski, who has denied Maziarz's claims as "categorically false," previously served as the clerk-treasurer in the City of North Tonawanda and chief of staff for state Sen. Robert Ortt, R-North Tonawanda, who succeeded Maziarz as the representative in New York's 62nd Senate District.
Wojtaszek and OTB spokesperson Ryan Hassenauer did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the newspaper on Friday.
Tania Lopez, a spokesperson for the Office of the New York State Comptroller – another agency that could exercise oversight at OTB – said the office has not conducted a review of OTB operations in nearly four years.
"The last audit of the Western Region OTB was in 2015," said Lopez, who added that the previous audit was "not specific to Batavia Downs."
Spending wat venues for the Bills and Sabres have been significant in recent years, but OTB has yet to respond to Gazette inquiries for an itemization of the costs. The corporation has also refused Freedom of Information Law requests to release a list of ticket recipients.
Batavia Downs Gaming, LLC, paid $165,000 to Western New York Arena, LLC, for use of a full suite for all events, including 18 tickets for all Sabres games and Buffalo Bandits lacrosse games at what was then the First Niagara Center in downtown Buffalo for the 2016-17 season, according to a contract obtained by the newspaper.
Batavia Downs received 12 suite tickets for all other events held at the arena. Attendees would have access to a slate of amenities and the arena's private patron clubs. According to financial documents, the WROTB spent $298,125 with Western New York Arena, LLC, in the last two years.
At New Era Field, home of the Buffalo Bills in Orchard Park, Batavia Downs spent $78,500 for a 16-seat suite for 10 football games for the 2018-19 season. The amenities included $750 in food and beverage credits, catered cuisine, in addition to access to the stadium's club area and invitations to Bills VIP events.
Documents obtained by the Gazette indicate Batavia Downs paid Buffalo Bills, LLC, $226,060 in the last two years. The majority of the spending, about $192,000, occurred in 2018.
Reporter Philip Gambini can be reached by telephone at 282-2311, ext. 2251.
we got glasses but bettors that wanted to buy a Sunday
thoroghbred program from a teller on Saturday were tuned away
we have priorities
empty glasses and a guy that bets football moderating a discussion on betting horses
make otb great again?
we have priorities
empty glasses and a guy that bets football moderating a discussion on betting horses
make otb great again?
| The Annual Nassau OTB KENTUCKY DERBY SEMINAR | ||
| Date: 05/02/2019 Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM | Description: Mark it down on your calendar. The annual Nassau OTB Kentucky Derby Seminar will be held on Thursday, May 2nd at the CARLE PLACE Branch (180 Glen Cove Road). Join guest handicappers John Conte, Steve Matthews and Steve Phillips, along with moderator Carl Reuter, as the expert panel analyzes each Derby horse. Get the panel's favorites, choices, contender and pretender lists. The serious-fun will begin at 6:00pm. Admission, of course, is FREE. So are the commemorative glasses (1 per customer, while supplies last) & more! It's Nassau's annual 'can't miss event', so DON'T MISS IT! Location: The CARLE PLACE BRANCH - 180 Glen Cove Road | |
public employees relation board etc covers
nassau otb employees who speak out against elected officials who double as union president
TDU protects the rights of members to speak out, distribute leaflets to fellow Teamsters, and stand together for change.
HOW TDU WINS LEGAL RIGHTS FOR
kevin mccaffrey suffolk county legislator and president of teamsters local 707
TEAMSTERS
One member, working closely with the TDU Staff, has shown how Teamsters can enforce their rights, beat retaliation, and stand up for a stronger union.
TDU protects the rights of members to speak out, distribute leaflets to fellow Teamsters, and stand together for change.
Recently, Florida Teamster Carl Gregory hit UPS with an unfair labor practice charge that is backed by the NLRB. He defeated bogus internal union charges by the Local 991 leadership against him, and he successfully preserved his right to distribute his card with a picture of him in browns and with the UPS logo.
It’s a trifecta of legal victories, all with TDU backing and diligence on the part of Carl and his supporters on the Florida-Alabama Gulf Coast.
“I would not have survived very long without the support of TDU and the TDU staff,” Carl posted. “The key for TDU is faith in the members; TDU helps ordinary Teamsters do extraordinary things.”
Your Right to Pass Out Leaflets
Teamsters have a right to distribute union and TDU literature at any of their employer’s worksites.
Local 991 covers a wide swath of the Gulf Coast, including Mobile Ala, Pensacola, Panama City, and Tallahassee in Florida.
Management photographed brother Gregory while distributing “Vote No” and TDU materials at UPS buildings in Tallahassee and Fort Walton Beach, and tried to intimidate him. They failed. Gregory persisted and, with TDU’s help, filed NLRB charges which are now headed for trial, NLRB vs UPS.
The NLRB has hit UPS for trying to “prohibit off-duty employees from distributing literature about the union during nonworking hours” and that management “engaged in surveillance of employees’ union activities.”
Union Leadership Joins Management vs Reformer
The president of Local 991 jumped to management’s aid, filing charges against Carl for an overly-aggressive post he made on Facebook. Another fail. Attorney Julian Gonzalez sent Local 991 a detailed letter demanding that they drop the charges; two days later, they did. A quick win, without any hearing ever held.
UPS Management’s Final Fail
One more desperate fail by management was taking legal action against brother Gregory for his distribution of this card. Management made the ridiculous claim that he was purporting to represent UPS, or that members would think that he was.
TDU and Gregory went on the offense. Quick legal action filed in federal court by internet free-speech expert Paul Levy, of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, ensured victory on that.
UPS has dropped its suit, and brother Gregory is distributing his card to fellow Teamsters.
TDU’s resources are limited, but we maximize our impact by pursuing significant or trail-blazing cases that can back employers off. And sometimes we have to back off those union officials who want to deny members’ rights.
and if jackson leeds speaks of kevin mccaffrey, local 707'
president & Suffolk county legislator in a nassau otb branch while not working the union in concert with the employer threatens him
mccaffrey is up for reelection to his legislative seat. vote him out. too many jobs
laura campione his heir in waiting will be there with crocodile tears
fbi bangs western otb and singh reminds the boys that all otbs are run in same or dimilar manner
TDU protects the rights of members to speak out, distribute leaflets to fellow Teamsters, and stand together for change.
mccaffrey is up for reelection to his legislative seat. vote him out. too many jobs
laura campione his heir in waiting will be there with crocodile tears
fbi bangs western otb and singh reminds the boys that all otbs are run in same or dimilar manner
HOW TDU WINS LEGAL RIGHTS FOR TEAMSTERS tdu cannot yet beat kevin kevin mccaffrey & 707
One member, working closely with the TDU Staff, has shown how Teamsters can enforce their rights, beat retaliation, and stand up for a stronger union.
TDU protects the rights of members to speak out, distribute leaflets to fellow Teamsters, and stand together for change.
Recently, Florida Teamster Carl Gregory hit UPS with an unfair labor practice charge that is backed by the NLRB. He defeated bogus internal union charges by the Local 991 leadership against him, and he successfully preserved his right to distribute his card with a picture of him in browns and with the UPS logo.
It’s a trifecta of legal victories, all with TDU backing and diligence on the part of Carl and his supporters on the Florida-Alabama Gulf Coast.
“I would not have survived very long without the support of TDU and the TDU staff,” Carl posted. “The key for TDU is faith in the members; TDU helps ordinary Teamsters do extraordinary things.”
Your Right to Pass Out Leaflets
Teamsters have a right to distribute union and TDU literature at any of their employer’s worksites.
Local 991 covers a wide swath of the Gulf Coast, including Mobile Ala, Pensacola, Panama City, and Tallahassee in Florida.
Management photographed brother Gregory while distributing “Vote No” and TDU materials at UPS buildings in Tallahassee and Fort Walton Beach, and tried to intimidate him. They failed. Gregory persisted and, with TDU’s help, filed NLRB charges which are now headed for trial, NLRB vs UPS.
The NLRB has hit UPS for trying to “prohibit off-duty employees from distributing literature about the union during nonworking hours” and that management “engaged in surveillance of employees’ union activities.”
Union Leadership Joins Management vs Reformer
The president of Local 991 jumped to management’s aid, filing charges against Carl for an overly-aggressive post he made on Facebook. Another fail. Attorney Julian Gonzalez sent Local 991 a detailed letter demanding that they drop the charges; two days later, they did. A quick win, without any hearing ever held.
UPS Management’s Final Fail
One more desperate fail by management was taking legal action against brother Gregory for his distribution of this card. Management made the ridiculous claim that he was purporting to represent UPS, or that members would think that he was.
TDU and Gregory went on the offense. Quick legal action filed in federal court by internet free-speech expert Paul Levy, of the Public Citizen Litigation Group, ensured victory on that.
UPS has dropped its suit, and brother Gregory is distributing his card to fellow Teamsters.
TDU’s resources are limited, but we maximize our impact by pursuing significant or trail-blazing cases that can back employers off. And sometimes we have to back off those union officials who want to deny members’ rights.
democrats do the same thing
some people actually work at nassau otb where there are too few thoroughbred programs for bettors
when the skim gets too high the corporation goes nyc otb and only sometimes rises from the ashes to thieve more at the top to the detriment of those that bet horses
kevin mccaffrey suffolk county legislstor and president of teamster lical 707 has a story for everything
tall tales, falsehoods, threats etc
when the skim gets too high the corporation goes nyc otb and only sometimes rises from the ashes to thieve more at the top to the detriment of those that bet horses
kevin mccaffrey suffolk county legislstor and president of teamster lical 707 has a story for everything
tall tales, falsehoods, threats etc
APR
26
26
FBI investigating Buffalo-area OTB
The FBI is investigating the awarding of lucrative contracts by the Western Regional Off Track Betting Corp. to politically wired companies.
The investigation, confirmed by multiple sources, is looking into contracts involving firms with ties to OTB Chairman Richard Bianchi, a member of the Monroe County Conservative Party’s executive committee, and CEO Henry Wojtaszek, former chairman of the Niagara County Republican Committee.
The full scope of the probe is unclear and an FBI spokesperson would neither confirm nor deny the investigation. But sources told Investigative Post that it includes, at a minimum, contracts the OTB has awarded to at least three firms.
Those firms include:
- Growth Marketing Group, based in Rochester, which places advertising for Batavia Downs, a casino and racetrack the OTB owns and operates. It is headed by Arnie Rothschild, who sources said is close to Bianchi, the OTB chairman.
Rothschild is active in Republican and Conservative party circles; one source described him as a “party operative.” Since 2012, his Growth Marketing Group has been paid nearly $3.5 million by party committees and candidates for elected office in New York State. Most of the payments involved television and radio advertising he purchased on behalf of Republican candidates and party committees. Another of his firms, Normal Communications, has been paid nearly $1.3 million for similar work since 2012.
Growth Marketing is one of OTB’s largest vendors, receiving payments of $533,162 last year and $601,381 in 2017, according to OTB records.
Rothschild said he is not aware of any FBI investigation, adding: “Our reputation is as a really solid media buying and production company. Maybe it’s a sin to be a Republican.”
- Richardson Management was paid $126,000 for lobbying and consulting work from July 2012 to July 2016. The firm was paid between $1,500 and $3,000 per month, according to its contract.
The firm is headed by Rick Winter, whose son, Elliott, serves as Niagara County’s representative on the OTB board. Richardson’s contract was terminated when Elliott Winter joined the board in 2016. Rick Winter told Investigative Post he’s not aware of an investigation by the FBI. “Our company was chosen pursuant to WROTB’s procurement policy,” he said in a statement.
- Regency Communications was paid $73,314 between January 2014 and September 2017 for consulting services that ranged from $2,500 to $4,995 per month. The firm is headed by Glenn Aronow, a former Niagara County legislator who later served on the staff of state Sen. George Maziarz until he resigned in 2011 in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment. Aronow declined to comment.
Bianchi was chairman and Wojtaszek chief legal counsel when Richard Management and Regency Communications were hired.
Bianchi, when contracted by phone by Investigative Post, said, “Why don’t you call Batavia Downs?” before abruptly hanging up. Wojtaszek refused an interview request, but said in an email that he’s not aware of an investigation by the FBI.
A spokesperson for the OTB issued a statement several hours after this story posted.
“The FBI has not confirmed that there is an investigation of the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation (WROTB) and WROTB has not received any inquiry from the FBI.
“Any inquiry or investigation would learn that our contracts are reviewed by an independent Board of Directors appointed by the County Legislatures of 15 counties and the Mayors of two cities. These contracts are audited, public documents and available for public inspection. Furthermore, WROTB has procurement policies that are strictly observed.
We are proud of our record at WROTB, as the only municipally owned and operated gaming facility in New York State. We are not just a strong economic driver for Western New York, but we provide critical funding for community development which creates jobs, protects families and helps to offset tax increases for residents.”
A fact check of the statement shows:
- The FBI does not normally acknowledge its investigations.
- All five regional OTBs that operate in the state are government owned.
- Revenues that local government’s receive from the Western OTB are not earmarked for economic development.
The OTB has a history of retaining consultants and lobbyists with political ties. Many of these contracts over the past decade call for the consultant to “provide professional guidance, strategic advice and to work and perform with the intent to help the Western OTB increase their revenues and improve their marketing strategies.”
The OTB is paying former state Assemblyman Sam Hoyt $6,500 a month through the end of June for his services. Hoyt most recently served as regional vice president of Empire State Development before a sex scandal prompted his resignation in October 2017.
Before that, Park Strategies, managed by former U.S. Sen. Alfonse D’Amato, was paid $5,000 a month. Former Erie County Executive Joel Giambra provided the OTB with most of its consulting services for Park Strategies.
Wojtaszek is a subject of a separate ongoing investigation by Monroe County District Attorney Sandra Doorley. She is looking into allegations made by Maziarz that Wojtaszek pressured Niagara County officials to award a grant-writing contract in 2014 to a firm headed by Wojtaszek’s secretary at his law practice. Wojtaszek has denied the allegation. Doorley was named special prosecutor because the Niagara County DA, who would normally conduct the investigation, is Wojtaszek’s wife.
The FBI investigation represents another legal challenge for the OTB, a state public benefit corporation based in Batavia. The OTB continues to provide its board members gold-plated health, dental and vision insurance despite declarations from the state comptroller and attorney general that board members are not entitled to the coverage. Wojtaszek continues to insist the coverage is permissible.
In addition, Maziarz has charged that OTB executives and board members are making improper use of suites the OTB has purchased for Sabres and Bills games. Wojtaszek maintains the suites are being used as intended, to entertain high rollers at the OTB’s casino at Batavia Downs. He has refused, however, to release the names of those who have been provided tickets.
The Western Regional OTB is owned by 15 counties in Western and Central New York, plus the cities of Buffalo and Rochester. It operates 15 betting parlors, 30 betting kiosks in restaurants and bars, and a hotel, harness racing track and casino at Batavia Downs.
The OTB dispenses its profits to its 17 government owners, divided up based on population. The total in 2017 was $2.9 million. Erie County received the biggest cut, $709,280; Buffalo’s share was about $281,749; Niagara County’s, $227,016.
