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George Norcross

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George E. Norcross
Born (1956-03-16) March 16, 1956 (age 68)
Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationRutgers University, Camden
Occupations
  • Businessman
  • non-profit leader
  • political boss
Political partyDemocratic
Children2
RelativesDonald Norcross (brother)
John C. Norcross (brother)

George E. Norcross III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman, organizer, and political boss. A member of the Democratic Party, Norcross is considered a power broker in southern New Jersey.[1]

Norcross is executive chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, an insurance and benefits brokerage. He is chairman of the board of trustees for Cooper University Health Care System, MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper and Cooper University Hospital, all in Camden, New Jersey, and has served as a trustee since 1990. He led the effort to create the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and to partner with MD Anderson Cancer Center to create the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, which opened in 2013.[2]

Norcross has been a prominent political leader in New Jersey for more than 30 years, since before he became chairman of the Camden County Democratic Committee in 1989,[3] a position he held until 1993. For many years, he was named one of the most powerful non-elected political figures in New Jersey by the website PolitickerNJ.com.[4][5][6]

Norcross was a member of the Democratic National Committee until 2021 when he changed his voter registration to Florida. He formerly belonged to Mar-a-Lago, the club owned by former United States President Donald Trump.[7] In June 2024, Norcross was indicted on 13 charges of racketeering and criminal enterprise by State Attorney General Matthew Platkin.[8]

Early life

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Norcross was born on March 16, 1956, in Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey,[9] the son of George E. Norcross Jr., the president of the AFL–CIO Central Labor Union of Camden and Gloucester Counties, and his wife, Anne Carol Norcross. His father was active in the community of Camden, served as a board member of Cooper University Hospital, and chaired the board of United Way.[10] His mother died at the age of 84 in 2016.[11]

Norcross graduated from Pennsauken High School and briefly attended Rutgers University–Camden. He has three brothers: Donald, a United States Congressman representing New Jersey's 1st congressional district;[12] Philip, managing partner of the law firm Parker McCay;[13] and John, a psychologist, author, and professor at the University of Scranton.[14]

Career

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Insurance

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Norcross is the executive chairman of insurance, risk management, and employee benefits brokerage and consulting firm Conner Strong & Buckelew, where he has worked since 1979. Norcross was named the second most powerful man in the New Jersey business world by NJBiz.com in 2014, 2015, and 2016,[15] and made the list's top ten list in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.[16] In September 2015, Norcross was announced as one of the local investors in The Camden Waterfront, a $1 billion development on Camden's waterfront initially developed by Liberty Property Trust and designed by Robert A.M. Stern.[17] Norcross said he would invest $50 million in the project,[18] and in March 2017, Norcross announced his company would move to the Camden waterfront as part of a $245 million development.[19]

Cooper University Health Care System

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Norcross is chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Cooper University Health Care System, Cooper University Hospital and the MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, in Camden, New Jersey. He has served as a Cooper trustee since 1990. Norcross launched the Cooper Medical School of Rowan University[20] and helped to facilitate the opening of the MD Anderson Cooper Cancer Center in October 2013.[21]

In the wake of the Veterans Health Administration scandal of 2014, Cooper announced a "Veterans VIP Priority Program" that provided day care to veterans in New Jersey's seven southern counties.[22] In November 2014, Cooper and Norcross were awarded the "Seven Seals" award by the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve in recognition of the program.[23]

In February 2012, Norcross penned an op-ed in the Courier-Post praising the idea of merging Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden. In June that year, the state approved the partnership.[24]

Formica Freitag Bakery

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In January 2022, Norcross and his family became majority partners in the Formica Bakery, a maker of "Atlantic City Original" bread[25] which had fallen into bankruptcy in 2019. It was subsequently renamed Formica Freitag Bakery,[26] and merged with Valitni's Italian Bakery of Pleasantville in January 2023.[27]

Politics

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Norcross was considered the "political boss" of the "Democratic machine" in New Jersey, particularly in South Jersey. He held significant sway over local party organizations, fundraising, and candidates' access to the county line. Norcross was chairman of the Camden County Democratic Party from 1989 to 1995 and was a prolific fundraiser, with influence over many county jobs and contracts.[28] Journalist Steve Kornacki wrote in 2011, "It’s not written down anywhere, but it’s acknowledged by everyone (privately, of course): You don’t run for office as a Democrat in South Jersey unless George is OK with it—and you don’t win in the fall without him."[29] In tapes leaked in 2005, Norcross was recorded saying he could secure allies with jobs and punish political opponents. Norcross allegedly attempted to have a town's solicitor fired because he ran for a local party chairmanship, pressuring the town's mayor with threats to his private job.[30]

By 2003, Norcross held influence over more than a dozen powerful state legislators and controlled government contracts through a pay-to-play system that directed businesses' donations to campaigns;[28] In 2009, Norcross was instrumental in the ousting of Richard Codey as senate president in favor of his childhood friend Stephen Sweeney.[31] Governor Jon Corzine's loss to Chris Christie in the 2009 gubernatorial election was credited in part to Norcross's not having used his machine to mobilize voters for Corzine.[29] Norcross subsequently had a positive relationship with the Republican governor.[32]

In 2021, Sweeney, then president of the New Jersey Senate, and one of Norcross's closest allies, lost re-election.[3] Politico said that the loss indicated a substantial decline in Norcross's power and influence. In 2023, he announced that he was decreasing his involvement in politics, saying it was "time for others to lead" and conceding that Sweeney's loss had left him "sitting in the backseat".[33]

Criticism

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The office of the Attorney General of New Jersey and the United States Attorney's office under Chris Christie investigated Norcross after he was secretly taped discussing state politics. After investigation and significant media coverage, he was not charged.[34] Norcross was also the subject of a federal investigation in 2016 where his phones were wiretapped. The United States Attorney's Office for New Jersey sent Norcross a letter confirming that no action was warranted and the investigation was closed.[35]

Norcross has been associated with businesses that are alleged to have received special treatment from the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.[36]

An investigative task force was formed to look into the operations and procedures of the NJEDA. Norcross sued the State of New Jersey to stop the highly critical report from becoming public. After a five-hour court hearing about the injunction, Norcross lost and within minutes, the report was made public.[37][38]

Racketeering charges

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On June 17, 2024, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin unsealed a thirteen-count racketeering indictment against Norcross and five other individuals, including his brother, Philip. The indictment accused Norcross and the other defendants of conspiring to illegally obtain waterfront property and property rights, unlawfully collecting millions of dollars in government tax credits, and attempting to influence and control public officials.[39]

On July 9, 2024, Norcross and his 4 co-defendants were in Mercer County Courthouse in Trenton, New Jersey. They all pleaded not guilty. Norcross's lawyer, Michael Critchley, "emphatically" said he was not guilty to Superior Court Judge Peter E. Warshaw Jr. [40]

Personal life

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Norcross has two children.[41] He was previously listed as a resident of Cherry Hill, New Jersey, but in 2023, Norcross was reported to be an official resident of Florida, living there "about 90 percent of [the] time".[42][33]

Norcross was listed as one of the state's wealthiest people, ranked 41st in New Jersey in 2015 with a net worth of almost $250 million.[42]

References

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  1. ^ "No. 10: George Norcross". NJBIZ. February 21, 2022. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  2. ^ "George E. Norcross III". Connor Strong & Buckelew. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  3. ^ a b Racioppi, Dustin; Friedman, Matt (July 17, 2023). "New Jersey Democrats mull a future with a weakened George Norcross". POLITICO. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  4. ^ "The Power List 2014" (PDF). PolitickerNJ. November 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 17, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  5. ^ "The Power List 2009" (PDF). PolitickerNJ. August 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2018. Retrieved February 7, 2016.
  6. ^ Hutchins, Ryan (May 21, 2019). "Governor's feud with party boss rocks New Jersey politics". POLITICO. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  7. ^ Confessore, Nicholas; Haberman, Maggie; Lipton, Eric (February 18, 2017). "Trump's 'Winter White House': A Peek at the Exclusive Members' List at Mar-a-Lago". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  8. ^ Tully, Tracey (June 17, 2024). "Top Democratic Power Broker Is Charged With Racketeering". The New York Times. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  9. ^ 2016 Congressional Record, Vol. 162, Page E321 (March 16, 2016)
  10. ^ Hagenmayer, S. Joseph (May 18, 1998). "George Norcross Jr., labor and civic leader". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. 75.
  11. ^ Palmer, Chris (May 10, 2016). "Carol C. Norcross, 84, advocate for seniors, matriarch of a powerful South Jersey family". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  12. ^ Seidman, Andrew (November 10, 2014). "Norcross to be sworn in to House seat on Wednesday". Philadelphia Inquirer.
  13. ^ "Philip A. Norcross". Parker McCay. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  14. ^ "John C. Norcross, Ph.D., ABPP". The University of Scranton. Retrieved July 18, 2023.
  15. ^ [1], njbiz.com, January 27, 2015; accessed February 4, 2015.
  16. ^ "No. 9: George Norcross". NJBIZ. February 22, 2021. Retrieved April 25, 2021.
  17. ^ [2] NJBiz.com, 'Iconic' $700M project coming to Camden waterfront, September 24, 2015; accessed February 7, 2016.
  18. ^ [3] The Philadelphia Inquirer, Project aims to transform Camden waterfront - and surprise skeptics, September 26, 2015; accessed October 11, 2015.
  19. ^ [4], NJ.com, Norcross and partners propose $245M Camden Tower on waterfront, March 10, 2017; accessed April 22, 2017.
  20. ^ Courier-Post, October 23, 2009.
  21. ^ "MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper Celebrates Five Years". TAPinto. Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  22. ^ Veterans VIP Priority Program, philly.com, September 8, 2014; accessed December 22, 2014.
  23. ^ Perry, Jessica (November 12, 2014). "Cooper honored for its Veterans VIP program". Retrieved May 26, 2019.
  24. ^ Partnership of Rowan University and Rutgers-Camden, nj.com; accessed November 16, 2014.
  25. ^ https://www.courierpostonline.com/story/news/2022/01/19/george-norcross-atlantic-city-nj-historic-formica-bakery/6528068001/, Cherry Hill Courier-Post, January 19, 2022; accessed February 23, 2024.
  26. ^ https://www.nj.com/atlantic/2019/04/100-year-old-bakery-that-serves-jersey-shore-files-for-bankruptcy.html, NJ.com, April 19, 2019; accessed February 23, 2024.
  27. ^ https://sojo1049.com/atlantic-city-nj-famous-formica-bakery-merger-valentis-goods-expansion, SoJO1049.com, January 10, 2023; accessed February 23, 2024.
  28. ^ a b Capuzzo, Jill P. (May 25, 2003). "The Power Behind The Powerful". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  29. ^ a b Kornacki, Steve (July 5, 2011). "With enemies like these, Chris Christie doesn't need to make friends". POLITICO. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  30. ^ Benson, Josh (April 10, 2005). "IN PERSON; The Tale Of the Tapes". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  31. ^ NJ.com, NJ Voices Guest Blogger/For (November 19, 2009). "The rise and fall of Gov. Jon Corzine and Sen. Richard Codey". nj. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  32. ^ "Christie proud of bipartisan link with Norcross, denounces Codey criticism". Observer. February 22, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Racioppi, Dustin (May 8, 2023). "New Jersey power broker George Norcross is stepping back from politics". Politico. Retrieved July 17, 2023.
  34. ^ Tom Moran (November 23, 2014). "George Norcross: The good works of the Dark Lord (Moran)". NJ.com.
  35. ^ "U.S. Attorney ends speculation about Norcross". New Jersey Globe. October 9, 2018.
  36. ^ "Attorney Kevin Sheehan is Mentioned in Reference to "Unregistered Lobbying" Found by NJEDA Task Force". Insider NJ. May 1, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  37. ^ "Judge Rules Against George Norcross Efforts to Stop NJEDA Task Force". Insider NJ. June 17, 2019. Retrieved October 18, 2019.
  38. ^ "Governor's Task Force on EDA Tax Incentives". Politico.
  39. ^ "George Norcross, Democratic Power Broker, Is Charged With Racketeering". The New York Times. June 17, 2024. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
  40. ^ https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/09/nyregion/george-norcross-racketeering-arraignment.html
  41. ^ "George E. Norcross III, Executive Chairman" (PDF). Conner Strong & Buckelew. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
  42. ^ a b Bellano, Anthony. "South Jersey Democrat is Among the State's Wealthiest; George Norcross III made njbiz.com's list at No. 41.", Cherry Hill, NJ Patch, July 8, 2015. Accessed August 8, 2019. "George E. Norcross III made the list at No. 41. The 58-year-old Cherry Hill resident is worth $248.5 million, and made his wealth through banking, insurance and politics."
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