Reaction to George Norcross indictment is muted at best. Why? He remains powerful | Stile

For the most part, power broker George E. Norcross III stared straight ahead as he sat in the front row listening to Attorney General Matt Platkin describe him as the leader of a corrupt political enterprise and the key player in a 13-count criminal indictment.

But given the way most of the New Jersey political community reacted to the bombshell news, you must wonder if many worry if he has eyes in the back of his head.

The 111-page indictment, accusing the Camden County Democratic Party kingmaker of using threats and extortion to seize control of the city’s waterfront while reaping millions of dollars in state tax credits, is the most daring and comprehensive effort yet to cripple his legendary power — and, in the eyes of his enemies, bring him to justice.

Yet, the bombshell failed to jolt most in the political class to rejoice or raise their voice in outrage — or say much of anything. There were some, of course, from the Democratic Party’s left, who raised their voices, like Sue Altman, the Democratic candidate for Congress in the 7 ^th Congressional District, who began her career taking aim at Norcross’ operation in South Jersey only to be dragged out of a State h ouse hearing in 2019 and past the silver-maned leader.

She lauded Platkin’s decision and said it signals a “new day for New Jersey politics” where the old “culture of corruption is giving way to “one that prioritizes public service.” State Sen. Britnee Timberlake, D-Orange, argued that the indictment “underscores the damaging impact of power abuse within our government.”

What did NJ's gubernatorial hopefuls say?

Still, some of the reaction was braided with self-serving posturing for the next big race. Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, who is rebranding himself as a good-government reformer in pursuit of the Democratic nomination for governor next year, used the occasion to give himself a pat on the back for tangling with “these characters” like Norcross and Sen. Bob Menendez in the past, claiming he has “the scars to prove it.” Fulop, on the social media site X, also goaded his likely rivals, Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-Montclair and Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-Wyckoff, to publicly say something about the indictment.

Sherrill did respond, saying that this alleged corruption “undermines citizens’ faith in government and costs taxpayer’s money” before proceeding to remind readers — once again — that she was a former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot and federal prosecutor. Gottheimer used the moment to paint Fulop as a phony, an insider who sought to curry favor from the people he now condemns.

“Jersey Values is straight talking, not flip-flopping. You pursued Bob Menendez until you didn’t. You chased George Norcross until you didn’t. You supported Tammy Murphy until you didn’t,” Gottheimer fired back. “Enough phony flip-Fuloping.”

It was noteworthy that Gottheimer never actually condemned Norcross’ conduct — a point that Fulop took pains to point out in a follow-up post.

Other than this cover-your-tracks crossfire between future primary rivals, radio silence filled the Statehouse hallways this week and last — a lot of ducking for cover in both parties. Asked during a break at a Statehouse committee meeting, state Sen. Paul Sarlo, D-Bergen, said he hadn’t read the charges yet.

The normally voluble state Sen. Mike Testa, R-Vineland, who is also a possible Republican candidate for governor and is deeply enmeshed in South Jersey politics, declined comment. Other legislators purred along, heads down hoping the crisis will pass and business at the Statehouse hurtled toward the late June salivating over state pork packed in the final version of the state budget.

Why are Trenton lawmakers so unwilling to talk about Norcross?

The reticence can be explained by several possible factors.

For one, it’s a bold, but complicated indictment that racketeering laws that were used to bring down organized crime syndicates. For the better part of two decades, New Jersey attorney generals have largely avoided sweeping corruption cases, choosing instead to take a back seat to the United States Attorney’s Office for New Jersey.

Now, though, the bold attempt by a young, relatively inexperienced state prosecutor to jump-start the department’s dormant corruption-busting reputation by going after the biggest fish in the political pond has led some to hold their powder. (It should be noted that Chris Christie had no corruption-busting resume when he was named U.S. Attorney for New Jersey in 2002.)

Others might be weighed down with a private acknowledgement of complicity — not in the actual charges laid out by Platkin, but for going along and never raising a voice when Norcross, with the help of then-Senate President Stephen Sweeney and then-governor Christie, shepherded through a dramatic tax incentive law in 2013 that steered generous benefits to Camden. A description of that bold political power play is outlined in the indictment and serves as the pivotal event that put the “enterprise” into action. Some of those who voted for it are still around. Others may not have taken a close look at what they were voting on. It was easy to look away and say nothing. Now that it's harder to look away, they are still saying nothing.

But for the most part, many in the political class are simply afraid of the guy and will remain so as long as he is free to conduct his insurance business, hold his tailgate parties at Philadelphia Eagles football games and rail with a Trump-like sense of victimization on the front steps of the courthouse. He may lack the statewide power of his heyday during the Christie years, many feel there is no upside poking a finger at an angry bear who is facing a long, unflattering public probe of his political and business operation, and possibly even prison. Norcross’s scorched-earth political style is legendary, and few wanted to tangle with him in those halcyon, pre-indictment days when the machine churned along.

“if anybody knows where all the bodies are buried, it's, George. He's got the goods on everybody," noted Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics at Rider University. Rasmussen also noted that many lawmakers have been beneficiaries of Norcross’ fundraising and strategic investing in their campaigns. On that score, they are also indebted to him.

This may very well be one of the reasons why Norcross arrived uninvited to the attorney general’s press conference where he disclosed the historic indictment. It was not only to intimidate Platkin, but to intimidate all those watching in the New Jersey political class that he, too, who suddenly might be celebrating his downfall, that he is still here watching and remembering with his long memory. Oh, and to all those witnesses and other defendants who might consider copping a plea and become a cooperative witness? I’ve got eyes in the back of my head for that as well.

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'We have constitutional rights'

For their part, Norcross' camp dismissed the indictment as nothing more than a political vendetta by an inexperienced attorney general looking for a political trophy in his pursuit for higher office. They claimed it was nothing more than criminalizing of warts-and-all political conduct, and of course, they vowed a long, contentious fight.

Michael Critchley, Norcross’ defense attorney, rejected suggestions that his client’s surprise visit was an exercise in intimidation.

“Because (Platkin) is  threatened by us coming up with an alternative version of facts? If he's threatened about that, that's a problem he has not that we have,’’ he said.

“Why can’t we not come down here? Is there something wrong with that? Maybe in Russia that doesn't happen but this is still America. We have constitutional rights, and we're going to exercise those rights, whether Mr. Platkin likes it or not," Critchley said.

Platkin was aware of the attacks that were to come once the charges were unsealed. He made that clear in his press conference, characterizing them as a state-side version of former President Donald Trump’s attempts to discredit the U.S. Justice Department that has charged him with unlawful retention of classified documents and his role in inciting the Jan. 6, 2021 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol.

“I also want to acknowledge that law enforcement officers and prosecutors who investigate powerful people and people who violate their position often are unfairly scrutinized and criticized by the very people they're charged with investigating," Platkin said. “It turns out that people don't like being held accountable, and they use these attacks to try to deter us from doing this work. We see this every day on the national stage, and sadly, we see it here in New Jersey.”

Charlie Stile is a veteran New Jersey political columnist. For unlimited access to his unique insights into New Jersey’s political power structure and his powerful watchdog work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

Email: stile@northjersey.com

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Reaction to George Norcross indictment is muted at best. Why? He remains powerful | Stile