New Jersey’s acting attorney general announced on Tuesday her decision not to seek a review by the state Supreme Court regarding the tossed racketeering charges against prominent Democrat George E. Norcross III and his co-defendants.
This decision by Jennifer Davenport, recently appointed by Governor Mikie Sherrill, follows nearly three weeks after a panel of three appellate judges upheld a state judge’s ruling to dismiss the charges.
The original indictment was secured by Matt Platkin during his tenure as attorney general under Governor Phil Murphy, who is also a Democrat.
“Considering the decision of the Appellate Division, we believe our prosecutorial resources are better allocated to other cases,” the attorney general’s office stated.
“Our office is dedicated to prioritizing public corruption cases, especially in these times of growing distrust in government,” the statement continued.
The charges, initially announced in June 2024 by Platkin at a press conference, saw Norcross taking the unusual step of attending in person and positioning himself directly in front of the attorney general.
Norcross and five other defendants were accused of running “an enterprise” going back to 2012 to use their political influence to craft legislation to serve their own interests.
But in a nearly 100-page ruling, the state judge found the prosecution’s allegations did not amount to criminal coercion or extortion and are time-barred.
Norcross and his lawyers have long maintained his innocence, claiming the indictment was politically motivated, an allegation Platkin has repeatedly denied.
Norcross, who served as executive chairman of the insurance firm Conner Strong & Buckelew, has been widely viewed as among the most influential unelected Democrats in the state.
He was a Democratic National Committee member until 2021 and previously served as the head of the Camden County Democratic Party.
