Influential Democratic NJ power broker charged with racketeering in connection to Camden properties
TRENTON, N.J. -- New Jersey Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III was charged Monday with racketeering and other crimes in connection with a waterfront redevelopment and the use of government-issued tax credits.
At a news conferenced in Trenton, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin accused Norcross, a former Democratic National Committee member and onetime head of the Camden County Democratic Party, of leading a criminal enterprise. Five alleged co-conspirators also were indicted.
Michael Critchley, Norcross' attorney, called the indictment a political vendetta.
"What they did is they relied on some political adversaries," Critchley said, and that "resulted in this tortured and unfair prosecution."
The charges stem in part from 2012-2013, when Norcross sought to redevelop the waterfront in Camden, New Jersey, which overlooks Philadelphia. Camden at that point had among the highest crime rates in the nation. The 111-page indictment unsealed Monday alleges that he threatened a developer who would not relinquish his rights to waterfront property and that Norcross used political influence to orchestrate tax incentives to be enacted to benefit organizations he controlled
Members of the alleged conspiracy also got a government development agency to help them get leverage in private negotiations, said Platkin, who is also a Democrat.
Prosecutors said the 13-count indictment outlined how the group flexed political influence and acquired property and property rights through coercion, extortion and other criminal acts. All six defendants are accused of first-degree racketeering, financial crimes, misconduct by corporate officials and conspiracy.
Norcross and his associates "used their political influence to tailor New Jersey economic development legislation to their preferences," the indictment says.
"The alleged conduct of the Norcross Enterprise has caused great harm to individuals, businesses, non-profits, the people of the State of New Jersey, and especially the City of Camden and its residents. That stops today. We must never accept politics and government - that is funded with tax dollars - to be weaponized against the people it serves. Today we reaffirm that no one in our state is above the law - period," Platkin said in a statement.
The defendants are scheduled to be arraigned July 9 in Mercer County, New Jersey.
In remarks outside the justice complex that includes Platkin's office, Norcross demanded a trial in two weeks and called Platkin a coward. He said he was left thinking, "Where's the beef?"
The defendants are Norcross, 68, of Palm Beach, Florida; his brother Philip A. Norcross, 61, of Philadelphia, a New Jersey lawyer; George Norcross's longtime lawyer William M. Tambussi, 61, of Brigantine, New Jersey; Camden Community Partnership chief executive and former Camden Mayor Dana L. Redd, 56, of Sicklerville, New Jersey; Sidney R. Brown, 67, of Philadelphia, chief executive of trucking and logistics company NFI; and development company executive John J. O'Donnell, 61, of Newtown, Pennsylvania.
A lawyer representing Philip Norcross called him a stellar lawyer with an "unblemished reputation." "The notion that he would be charged with crimes is simply outrageous," lawyer Kevin Marino told The Associated Press.
Marino declined to address any specific allegations in the indictment.
Philip Norcross, the attorney, and U.S. Rep Donald Norcross, are all brothers of George. A message left for the congressman was not immediately returned.
Defendant William Tambussi, an attorney, told Action News he doesn't know why he was included.
Henry Klingeman, Redd's attorney, said she was surprised by the charges.
"She's done nothing wrong," Klingeman said. "What she has done is serve the Camden community in public and not-for-profit roles for more than three decades. She has cooperated fully with the grand jury investigation for over a year and is unaware of evidence of wrongdoing by her or others. She looks forward to fighting these false allegations in the courtroom before a judge and jury, so she can reclaim her good name that has now been tarnished by the Attorney General's unjust and unjustified action."
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Associated Press reporters Mark Scolforo in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Maryclaire Dale in Philadelphia; and Wayne Parry in Pleasantville, New Jersey, contributed to this report.
