New Jersey’s top political boss stared down the AG at press conference announcing his indictment

TRENTON, New Jersey — The Democratic political boss George Norcross had a front-row seat to the bombshell criminal allegations levied against him on Monday — literally.

Norcross arrived uninvited to the press conference hosted by New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin, who alleges Norcross is the leader of a longstanding criminal racket centered on South Jersey Democratic politics. The multi-millionaire political boss sat at the seat closest to the podium where Platkin spoke, staring him down alongside an entourage of defense attorneys, watching the entirety of the press conference.

The silver-haired Norcross has a legendary reputation in New Jersey politics. His power is concentrated in South Jersey, where for decades he has ruled Democratic politics with an iron fist, but his influence over lawmakers has the ability to make-or-break the legislative agenda of governors.

"In the end, the McGreeveys, the Corzines, they're all going to be with me," Norcross was caught saying in the 2000s on secret recordings, in reference to the two former Democratic governors James McGreevey and Jon Corzine. "Not that they like me, but because they have no choice."

Norcross — who seldom speaks with reporters — said after the press conference that the 13-count indictment was part of a “smear campaign” against him from Platkin, and appeared confident that he would beat the charges.

“I want[ed] to witness an extraordinary embarrassment and outrageous conduct from a government official who stands up there and tries to act like he's holier than thou,” Norcross said outside the Richard J. Hughes Justice Complex, where the attorney general's office is located, explaining his attendance.

Even before the press conference started, attorneys for Norcross and his associates were combative with state officials — a potential harbinger of how the criminal proceedings may look. When Sharon Lauchaire, the interim communications director for the Department of Law and Public Safety, asked Norcross to move because he was sitting in a reserved seat, attorneys aligned with Norcross pushed back.

“Is there someone more significant than the lead defendant in the case to have a seat in the front row while he's being excoriated by the attorney general of the state?” asked Kevin Marino, an attorney who is representing co-defendant Phil Norcross, George’s brother. “Is there someone who deserves that seat more?”

Michael Critchley, a high-profile New Jersey defense attorney, interrupted his own colleague, asking Lauchaire: “Is there any reason why he shouldn't be sitting there?”

Norcross ultimately was allowed to stay in his seat. But Critchley made another pre-press conference objection after Lauchaire announced that only reporters could ask Platkin questions. Platkin, who took a handful of questions from reporters, said he had "no comment" on Norcross' attendance.

After Platkin’s press conference, Norcross and his attorneys went to the lobby of the government building — speaking from a podium and stage tucked in the corner of the ground floor — for their rebuttal press conference. State Police, however, quickly interrupted and asked them to leave the building.

Outside, Norcross told reporters that he wanted to go to trial in two weeks and that Platkin should personally try the case. He criticized Platkin in bitingly personal terms, suggesting that Platkin unveiled the charges in pursuit of higher office — he has long been rumored as a potential political candidate — calling him a “politician now masquerading as an attorney general.”

“I want Matt Platkin to come down here and try this case himself,” Norcross said. “Because he's a coward, because he has forced people in this building to implement his will.”

Norcross ticked off controversies Platkin has been involved in: A county prosecutor currently suing him in court, alleging that Platkin illegally forced him out of his job; his involvement where a state legislative panel found he mishandled a rape case involving a campaign aide when Platkin was the governor’s chief counsel; and a lawsuit from a former state Department of Health official which claimed that Platkin improperly got a Covid-19 test in the early days of the pandemic.

“He protects those he wants, he punishes others,” Norcross said. “What he's decided to do is for his future aspirations, whatever they may be, or whatever he dreams they're going to be.”

Critchley, a high-profile defense attorney, pushed back on any characterization that Norcross’ presence at the press conference was intimidation.

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

Critchley cryptically suggested that it would be a bumpy road ahead as the criminal proceedings continue.

“We just listened for about a half-hour of Mr. Platkin basically sending a personal message to George Norcross,” he said. “Now I'm sending a personal message to Matt Platkin: Buckle up.”