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Yikes! The heat dome is about to clamp down on us Read More »
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By Andrew Seidman and Jeremy Roebuck, Philadelphia Inquirer, Updated June 17, 2024, 1:21 p.m.
South Jersey power broker George E. Norcross III and key figures in his Democratic political machine were charged Monday in a sweeping racketeering indictment, alleging that they used their influence over city government to corruptly acquire lucrative waterfront real estate and development rights in Camden.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin unveiled the 13-count indictment at a news conference in Trenton, with Norcross, 68, sitting in the front row.
It charges him and five codefendants — including his brother Philip, his longtime lawyer William Tambussi, and former Camden Mayor Dana Redd — with various acts of racketeering, financial facilitation, misconduct by a corporate official, and official misconduct that threaten to send them to prison for years.
The charges come days after Platkin’s office charged two Norcross allies on the board of South Jersey Transportation Authority with misusing their positions to exact revenge on a Norcross foe.
The filing of criminal charges against Norcross himself — not to mention several of his key allies — threatens both his political legacy and the narrative he has helped to build over the last decade of Camden’s comeback from decades of poverty and financial disinvestment.
They also threaten to upend New Jersey’s political map ahead of the state’s 2025 gubernatorial race. Among the Democrats running for governor, with Norcross’ backing, is his childhood friend and one of his closest political allies, former state Sen. President Stephen Sweeney.
The real estate investigation, which has been in the works since at least 2022, is the latest probe by state and federal authorities targeting Norcross and his network. But it is the first to ever result in charges against the 68-year-old insurance executive and Camden County native who, despite never having held elected office, is considered one of the most influential political figures in New Jersey.
Over the last quarter century, Norcross has built the South Jersey Democratic machine into a juggernaut that has propelled key allies into all levels of politics and government from city councils and local party committees to government agencies and the state legislature. His backing helped to elect his brother Donald Norcross to Congress in 2013 and to install Sweeney in his leadership role in the state Senate in 2009.
Related Norcross coverage:
Bombshell indictment alleges sweeping network of corruption (northjersey.com)
Power broker George Norcross charged in bombshell indictment (Politico)
George Norcross, Power Broker, Is Charged With Racketeering (NY Times)
NJ Democratic kingmaker indicted on racketeering charges (CNBC)
‘The Norcross Enterprise’ hit with 13-count racketeering indictment (NJBIZ)
Investigation focuses on Norcross’ influence over Camden (EnviroPolitics)
Huge loss for political boss Norcross in fight with Governor (EnviroPolitics)
After a costly race, Norcross to raise funds for Sweeney PAC (EnviroPolitics)
Norcross v. Polistina Feud Spills into Public View (EnviroPolitics)
NJ power broker Norcross is stepping back from politics (EnviroPolitics)
Tax Break scandal leads to $5 M fine for energy company (EnviroPolitics)
EDA approves $18.3M for Camden hotel with Norcross ties (EnviroPolitics)
NJ powerbroker accuses Murphy of ‘political retribution’ (EnviroPolitics)
How Norcross allies got $1.1 Billion in Tax Breaks (EnviroPolitics)
How Norcross came to own Camden’s most valuable land (EnviroPolitics)
Why Norcross says he was booted from Eagles game (EnviroPolitics)
If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.
NJ political potentate George Norcross charged with racketeering Read More »
Today’s news from your EnviroPolitics Blog
By Kyle Melnick and Kelsey Baker, Washington Post, Updated June 16, 2024, 2:31 p.m. EDT
At least 1,200 people in California were evacuated this weekend as a wildfire in Los Angeles County spread over thousands of remote mountain acres, officials said.
As of late Sunday morning, the fire had spread across more than 12,200 acres, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said on its website. The blaze also damaged two commercial structures, fire officials said.
At 9 a.m. local time, the Los Angeles County Fire Department announced that the fire was just 2 percent contained.
The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles issued a red flag warning for the Interstate 5 corridor in Los Angeles County and Ventura County due to strong winds and low humidity.
Officials said they’re investigating what caused the fire and haven’t reported fatalities or injuries.
The blaze, which officials are calling the Post Fire, started about 1:45 p.m. Saturday in Gorman, about 65 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, according to state fire officials. It then moved southeast, toward Pyramid Lake.
If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.
At least 1,200 evacuated as wildfire spreads in L.A. County Read More »
Today’s news from your EnviroPolitics Blog
By Dave Williams, The Telegraph, June 14, 2024
Georgia is the largest state east of the Mississippi River, with eight million acres of prime farmland.
Yet, there’s so much concern over the spread of solar farms eating up huge portions of that acreage with vast fields of solar panels that the state Senate has formed a study committee to explore what can be done to save the most fertile land for farmers.
“We’ve lost a little over two and a half million acres of farmland in the last 40 years,” said Sen. Billy Hickman, R-Statesboro, who will chair the Senate Study Committee on the Preservation of Georgia’s Farmlands. “We’ve got to make sure to protect our farmland.”
Other factors are playing a role in the rapid shrinkage of farmland in Georgia, including the construction of housing subdivisions to accommodate population growth, warehouse-distribution centers and – most recently – data centers.
But solar projects also have cropped up across the state during the last decade, including some rooftop installations on individual homes and businesses but mostly the larger “utility-scale” deployments of fields of solar panels known as solar farms.
If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.
Solar’s spread over farm soils alarms some in Georgia Read More »
Today’s news from your EnviroPolitics Blog
By Lola Fadulu, New York Times / June 6, 2024
This summer might be a buggy one. As many as one trillion cicadas are emerging in the United States, spotted lanternflies are back and now scientists are predicting the arrival in the Northeast of a newcomer: the joro spider.
It’s unclear when exactly the joro, a large, brightly colored spider, will make its way to the Northeast. And there are some silver linings: There won’t be millions of them, and they eat other pests, including spotted lanternflies, which officials have urged New Yorkers to kill on sight.
Here’s what to know about these spider invaders.
These spiders are big, about the size of a Post-it note or a stretched-out human hand, and have long legs, said José R. Ramírez-Garofalo, an ecologist at Rutgers University. The female spiders can grow up to eight inches long, while the males are roughly half that size, he said.
They can fly, sort of: They move through the air by shooting silk threads that catch the wind, and the air currents carry them along, although not very far. They also travel on cars and trucks.
Related environmental news:
Giant Joro Spiders Are Coming: Here’s What to Expect (Scientific American)
If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.If you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.
This foreign insect is making headlines–even in the New York Times Read More »
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and the State of Maryland have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to support the coordinated development of offshore wind energy in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic state.
f you liked this post, you’ll love our daily environmental newsletter, EnviroPolitics. It’s packed daily with the latest news, commentary, and legislative updates from New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware…and beyond. Please do not take our word for it, try it free for an entire month. No obligation.
BOEM to Assist Maryland’s Offshore Wind Energy Efforts Read More »
