By financially supporting candidates not only in Camden County, but all over South Jersey, George Norcross was able to consolidate his leadership and demand unity among, and allegiance from, those whom he helped get elected. Why would carpenters in Jersey give a damn about Kenney? His daughter, Lexie Norcross, helped run the Philly.com website, which often uses celebrity news and other teasers to draw online clicks. George Norcross' daughter, Alessandra, a director of the parent company of the Inquirer, is an officer of the foundation and a board member of KCNA." Further, both residents and reporters paid specific attention to the proposed, and eventual, location of the KCNA and the history regarding the demolition and refusal to rebuild the public . In separate speeches and interviews Norcross, decried Camdens public-school system and the lack of parental involvement in their students education saying, 80% of the citys fourth grade students dont read at grade level, and I remember my mother showing me flashcards and encouraging my brothers and I to do our homework and that is not a luxury all [Camden] children possess with regards to those with absent or withdrawn parents. The 18-story, 394,164 square-foot building will also house The Michaels Organization, NFI, and two new restaurants spearheaded by Philadelphia celebrity chef Michael Schulson. And it sure looks like President Donald Trump and NJ political boss George Norcross really have a lot in common! I think George is wrong when he says he cant win, says Paolantonio. childhood, that he and his family were Iranian refugees escaping religious True to form, Norcross has accomplished all this in the dark, granting not a single on-the-record interview about these moves. If you're a human and see this, please ignore it. On Oct. 25, AmeriHealth Inc. donated $1 million to the super PAC, which three days later paid back the $950,000 loan. Governors kowtow to his enormous political power. Sure, Kenney has opinions on what hes done in Jersey. As for meeting Norcross's wife of 20 years, -Sandy, or their eight-year-old son, Alex no. Kenney used to work for Vince Fumo, the once all-powerful state senator who in 2009 was convicted on 137 counts of corruption and other charges. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015. With the passing of the UHA and the renaissance schools that resulted, Norcross was able to execute his plan for influencing public education in Camden as well. The Camden County Democratic party has ratcheted down its fund-raising in recent yearsincumbents dont need as much moneybut still ranks fourth among all the counties in the state, and when he wants a race badly enough, he flattens opponents under the heft of cash. He is now said to have helped elect 50-some county freeholders, state lawmakers and Congressmen currently in office in New Jersey. George Norcross, a wealthy insurance executive, has for decades run New Jersey's most vaunted Democratic political machine, a seemingly unstoppable behemoth that carries huge influence over who. He pores over the relevant data and, like a military commander, plots out a campaign that will bring victory. The Lanning Square project was created by a formed partnership of KIPP, one of the largest charter school networks in the country; the Cooper Foundation, the charitable arm of Cooper University Hospital; and the Norcross Foundation, established by the family of George Norcross, who is chairman of Cooper University Hospital, a Democratic Party leader, and managing partner of the company that owns the Philadelphia Inquirer. So, how much is George Norcross worth at the age of 66 years old? Its not clear whether it will once again set up shop later this year. Further current residents question whether their children, will, in the future, still be residents to even attend the Lanning Squares newest school, in the most rapidly developing neighborhood. When he received the support of governor Brendan Byrne in 1975 for the concept of a med school at Cooper, the Republican legislators of North Jersey made sure nothing got built. Says Brady: We met at the pub and got to know each other. So the risk is simple overreach. George E. Norcross, III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a Democratic Party organiser and power broker in New Jersey. Neil's mom and dad, David Gorsuch and Anne . But murky as Norcrosss motives may be, his record is clear: Hes a conqueror. He played the role of matchmaker, of deal-broker. But she also was accused of downplaying hard news in favor of fluff and tawdry. Everything he was saying was just wrong, he recalls. The Chief died, in 1998, with that promise unfulfilled. The article details that much of the money designated for disbursement is targeted to reward companies that donated to Christies campaigns, the Republican Governors Association while Christie was Chairman or companies with ties to George Norcross III., Norcross, in addition to being the Chairman of Connor, Strong & Buckelew, one of the largest insurance firms in the country, is also the long-serving Chairman of Cooper Hospital that recently received $40 million from the state in 2015 NJEDA funds. son. In its Oct. 4 filing with the New Jersey State Election Law Enforcement Commission, the super PAC said it would dissolve its operations in New Jersey. Apparently, you can take the friend out of Jersey, but not vice versa. Many South Jersey residents who were familiar with Christie, and his visible role as New Jerseys primary public crime fighter, found his leniency toward Norcross, a man to who many long have suspected of being a corrupt public actor, in word curious. Nearly two thirds of $1.6 billion in tax incentives in his hometown of Camden, New Jersey, went to his own company, business partners, political allies and clients of his . Through the 60s and 70s, he made a practice of bringing Young George to meet New Jersey governors, senators, congressional leaders and business people. Of Norcross, Rutgers University-Camden history professor Howard Gillette, in his 2005 work Camden After the Fall, wrote: The son of a powerful labor leader, Norcross had worked his way up the system, first by assisting several state legislators including Angelo Errichetti. Norcrosss insurance firm has secured government contracts in Philly in recent years, just as its done in Jersey. All rights reserved (About Us). They all will work with me, not because they like me, but because they have no choice. Despite having access to recorded evidence of Norcross trying to manipulate public hiring decision and contracts, Christie refused to pursue any investigation against Norcross despite the insistence of two NJ assistant attorneys general attesting to the validity of their investigation. A few political insiders suggest to me that Norcross would be a welcome counterweight to Dougherty. And the Chief revealed the meanings behind veiled words and silences. It was the most expensive senate race in the history of New Jersey, which raises a question: Is this democracyor an auction? Kenney also recently reappointed Heather Steinmiller, a senior V.P. Increase website traffic and elevate your brand with a CMS Bot business website. Hes done wonders for South Jersey, says Rendell. Quick and entertaining New York City local news, events, food, arts, sports and more. So right there and then, the likely next mayor of Philadelphia sat down for a brief tte--tte with the lord of South Jersey. There, he found fair and reasonable taxation, beautifully maintained roads, lower crime, a thriving economic environment and a climate more suitable to his liking. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Resulting from the 100-day listening tour, Rouhanifard laid out his agenda called the Camden Commitment. Unveiled to the public for the first time on January 28, 2014 at Octavius V. Catto Family School in the East Camden neighborhood, the Camden Commitment focused on five components: better academic performance in schools, improved customer service, greater efficiency in district administrative offices, school safety, and tighter District spending. optimistic at best. And I wasnt permitted to. Because they know we put up the gun and we pulled the trigger and we blew their brains out. And he makes clear what he has done to men who have crossed him: I sat him down and said, Herb, dont fuck with me on this one cause Ill tell you if you ever do that and I catch you one more time doing it, youre gonna get your fucking balls cut off.. In as early as 2011, Norcross began giving a series of speeches focusing on education, and on the future of public education in Camden specifically. Officer in the Office of Portfolio Management (OPM). And reframing the Camden city police as a county-led force is, he says, designed to save money and free up budgetary room to put more officers on the street. White for eleven months and then moved on to the post of Chief of Executive Hiring a communication director, further solidified District messaging and improved the likelihood of receiving positive press in print media, local news, and even on local urban radio airwaves. He often spoke about how important getting a Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com. 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. But his other moves in Philly went largely unnoticed: That same year, Norcrosss insurance company opened a new headquarters in Two Liberty Place, right around the corner from City Hall. Published as Norcrossing the Delaware in the May 2016 issue of Philadelphia magazine. Im not against him. And Norcross plays an enviable role as both the highest bidder and the guy who reaps the greatest proceeds. Norcross III became Chairman of the Camden County Democratic Association at the age of 32, and through financially backing South Jersey Democratic candidates using a platform of fiscal conservatism combined with social pragmatism, was able to gain influence in democratic circles in the surrounding suburbs as well as in Camden. What we have here, and I say we because its not just me, is a sophisticated apparatus that achieves a result.. Before being elected Governor in 2009, Christ Christie, as US Attorney, was making a name for himself as a public Corruption Buster by bringing criminal charges on elected officials throughout New Jersey. Or so it seemed. In June that year, the state approved the partnership. It was May 19th, the day Jim Kenney won the mayoral primary in a landslide. Norcross said that he received a phone call in 2004 from then-governor Richard Codey telling him that heGeorge Norcross III, a private insurance executivecould steer $500,000 in public money any way he saw fit. The July 28 show on the Camden waterfront was sponsored by PhillyVoice.com, which is run by Donald Norcross niece, Lexie, the daughter of South Jersey power broker George Norcross. WWB Holdings owns media site PhillyVoice, where George Norcross' daughter, Lexie Norcross, is founder and CEO. George. 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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. In a city like Camden, theres a sisterhood, brotherhood with Philadelphia. That moment came in 2012. Now, we learn that the great champion of South Jersey Democrats, George Norcross III, has declared himself as a Florida resident and, presumably, a Democratic voter there as well. In Philadelphia, all eyes were on one super PAC in particular: American Cities, which was backing Tony Williams for mayor. I have a dear friend who is a strict Democratic voter. Goldman Sachs and as an associate at AEA Investors, LP on Wall St. From there, I stayed in the background because I thought thats what political bosses did. Retrieved May 26, 2019. daughter. Afterward, the registrant suddenly changed to a mysterious company called WWB Holdings, LLC. I understand, as a reporter, why the Palmyra Tapes incident has to be part of the George Norcross narrative. But until we do the research, we dont know.. But as his career neared its end, in the late 80s, the entire South Jersey region still operated as a kind of beggar in relation to the north. The concert coincided with the 2016 Democratic National Convention and was one of a number of events occurring throughout the Philadelphia and South Jersey region during the week. the NYCDOE website, the OPM, Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships