1 Man, 3 Full-Time Jobs: Nassau GOP Chairman Also Heads Nassau OTB And Has Private Law Practice

MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Fat paychecks for three simultaneous jobs: Taxpayers ask is it legal, or ethical, for Nassau's new GOP leader to wear three top hats at once.

Joseph Cairo is the president of Nassau OTB, where he earns $198,000 a year.

He's also Nassau's new Republican chairman, with another annual salary: $120,000.

In addition, Cairo has an established Long Island private law practice.

"Patronage on Long Island is a political way of life," said Hofstra University Dean Lawrence Levy. "It is what greases the wheels of political organizations, provides their foot soldiers, provides their donations."

A time-honored tradition, or a time dishonored tradition. Whatever the case, it is perfectly legal, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.

Voters have mixed reactions.

"As long as he's an honest man, why not?" one said.

Another called it "definitely a conflict of interest."

"He's abusing the office," one said.

"If I worked a separate job, my boss would fire me," said another.

"Take one, walk away from the others. Otherwise he may get a triple pension," one person pointed out.

McLogan tried to find Cairo at his Valley Stream law office, to no avail. She went looking for him at Off-Track Betting in Mineola, but he wasn't there. She tried again at GOP headquarters in Westbury, where she was told he was too busy to answer her questions.

Some watchdogs complain allowing people to simultaneously hold top jobs in government and party leadership could open the door to potential corruption, McLogan reported.

George Marlin is a former NIFA board member who is critical of Cairo wearing three hats, and earning three fat paychecks.

"Nassau's elected officials of every stripe should be banging the pots and pans: demand he resign," Marlin said. "It's an outrage, they learned nothing from all these scandals."

Marlin is referring to the recent arrests of Gerard Terry, Dean Skelos, Ed Mangano and John Venditto.

Nassau's new executive signed orders barring county government officials from holding party positions, but McLogan was told via email Cairo has no plans to relinquish any of his jobs.

Nassau OTB said there is no ethical or legal constraint from holding three jobs, and that both Democrats and Republicans have done so in the past.