Counsel for George Norcross, Michael Critchley Sr. of Critchley Kinum & Luria LLC, said his client “emphatically states” he is not guilty, calling Tuesday’s court proceeding the “first step in the journey to get fairness.”
Conner Strong CEO Allegations : Attorney General’s Allegations
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced the charges last month at a press conference attended by George Norcross, who sat flanked by his attorneys.
On Tuesday, Critchley accused Platkin of being involved in a “jihad to get George Norcross” and called the charges a “press release disguised as an indictment.”
“It’s a lot of words, a lot of pages with a lot of allegations,” Critchley said outside the Mercer County Superior Court House. “But one thing it does not have is the element of a crime.”
The 111-page indictment accuses the “Norcross Enterprise” of using their power and influence to help craft legislation making it easier for projects in Camden to receive tax credits and then, with help from city officials, strong-arm the acquisition of three waterfront properties through threats and coercion.
Conner Strong CEO Allegations : Defense Counsel’s Reactions
Counsel for Philip Norcross, Kevin Marino of Marino Tortorella & Boyle PC, dismissed the idea of a “Norcross Enterprise” as a “figment of a prosecutor’s imagination.”
