(17 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Trenton, New Jersey – 17 June 2024
1. SOUNDBITE (English) George E. Norcross III, New Jersey Democratic power broker:
"I want to go to trial in two weeks. We are prepared. They will delay. They will have all kind of excuses of why they won’t do this. Because this is all about a smear campaign."
++BLACK FRAMES++
2. SOUNDBITE (English) George E. Norcross III, New Jersey Democratic power broker:
"When I’m also saying, is there going to be scores of people here. They’re going to identify and testify as to the motives of this fellow who when I finished listening, I said to myself, where’s the beef? Where is the beef here?"
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) George E. Norcross III, New Jersey Democratic power broker:
("Reporter: "What did you aim to do coming today? What was the reason that you came?")
"Because I want to witness an extraordinary, embarrassing and outrageous conduct from a government official who stands up there and tries to act like he’s holier than thou. I’ve outlined 3 or 4 things that this guy’s been involved with since he was attorney general. And there’s more to come and a lot more that’s going to be presented from various sources throughout the state of activities that have gone on that are improper. And in some cases, probably people like that have gone on. We want to go. We want to go to try two weeks. Matt Platkin. Come join us. Try the case because your people don’t want to try anything. You get down here and back up your words and stop it. "
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
New Jersey Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III was charged Monday with operating a racketeering enterprise, threatening people whose properties he sought to take over, and orchestrating tax incentive legislation to benefit organizations he controlled.
Norcross, seated in the front row during a news conference by Attorney General Matt Platkin, angrily denounced the charges, later calling Platkin a “coward” and demanding a speedy trial.
The charges against the 68-year-old Norcross and five others come as New Jersey is already under a political and legal microscope, with Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez on trial in New York on federal corruption charges. Platkin, also a Democrat, cast the charges as law enforcement cracking down on wrongdoing.
“When we say no one is above the law, we mean it and we will continue to hold accountable anyone who puts their interest above the public interest, no matter how powerful they may be,” Platkin said.
In a 111-page indictment unsealed on Monday, the attorney general alleges a scheme reaching back to 2012 in which the defendants — called the “Norcross Enterprise” in the indictment — used his political influence to craft legislation that served their own interests.
Among the allegations against Norcross are charges that he threatened a developer who would not relinquish his rights to waterfront property in Camden, New Jersey, on Norcross’ terms. The indictment cites a profanity-laden phone recording of Norcross in which he tells the developer he will face “enormous consequences.” The person asks if Norcross is threatening him, according to the indictment. “Absolutely,” Norcross replies.
The indictment also said Norcross and the co-defendants extorted and coerced businesses with property rights on Camden’s waterfront and obtained tax incentive credits, which they then sold for millions of dollars. Platkin described Camden as long suffering from economic decline.
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