His mother, Carol, died at the age of 84 in 2016. Theres a great quote about Alexander the Great: He cried because there were no worlds to conquer, says one political insider. Behind all this striving, Norcross has also maintained a network of admirers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. He wouldnt be where he is today without Norcross. For anyone who believed money already played too big a role in politics, this was a deeply disturbing development. 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. Another is that Norcross is courting Phillys building trades so theyll support his brother, Donald, if he runs for U.S. Senate, as many expect. Norcross was named the second most powerful man in the New Jersey business world by NJBiz.com in 2014, 2015, and 2016,[14] and made the list's top ten list in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. I regretfully do not have my fathers personality.. persecution, how their familys assets were frozen, that he and his family they Indeed, DRPAs purported purpose was to promote transportation throughout the region, and Cooper was the only hospital ever to receive money from DRPA, the vice chair of which wasgo figureJeffrey Nash, a longtime Norcross ally. Increase website traffic and elevate your brand with a CMS Bot business website. Some years back, citing high taxes, crumbling infrastructure and a litany of other ills largely the result of corrupt, shoddy and stupid state government, he left New Jersey for Florida. Norcross is executive chairman of Conner Strong & Buckelew, an insurance brokerage firm. This is George Norcross were talking about the widely feared, fantastically wealthy all-powerful boss of the South Jersey Democratic Party and when George Norcross wants a meeting, he gets a meeting. The touring companies for Lady Gaga and Lenny Kravitz alone were paid $1.825 million. When Philly.com got word of the three-minute private meeting a few days later and posted a story, it set political insiders buzzing. He is a smart, competent man. Working under Joel Klein, chancellor of Coopers medical school yields prestige and a much-needed influx of youth and smarts. We all think we know, he says. And then, in February, Ed Coryell was sacked. Protestors sing and dance to support the Rockettes. Progressive Democratic groups often highlight the fact George Norcross who with his childhood friend, New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney, holds sway over the Democrat-controlled state . His candidates do bring a certain level of competence, he says. As always, another excellent, well researched, article Dr. Benson. George Norcrosss income source is mostly from being a successful Businessman. He has three brothers: Donald, a United States Congressman representing New Jersey's 1st congressional district;[11] Philip, managing partner of the law firm Parker McCay;[12] and John, a psychologist, author, and professor at the University of Scranton. Apparently, you can take the friend out of Jersey, but not vice versa. Norcross was born on March 16, 1956, in Cooper University Hospital, Camden, New Jersey. "I wish I had that kind of power.". When Norcross does speak to reporters, he often dictates the terms. Never again will that happen. But in a surprising restraint in instigative zealousness of corruption involving public officials, in 2006, Christie refused to pursue corruption charges against Norcross despite him being investigated by the state and the Securities and Exchange Commission in years prior. Thats likely part of Norcrosss play in Philadelphia, but it would be uncharacteristic for him to stop there. But she also was accused of downplaying hard news in favor of fluff and tawdry. computer technology from University of North Carolina, and eighteen months of Funding. Norcross has also benefited from his connections to the Delaware River Port Authority. 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. Funding for the event came through General Majority, a Democratic super PAC that dominated New Jerseys legislative elections in 2013 and 2015. But he didnt dive in. But that was just the beginning: He developed an elaborate plan to wrest Camden County away from the GOP; then he would move on to other counties, win control of their freeholders, and build alliances that could raise enormous sums of cash for his favored candidates for the state legislature. "[10], Norcross graduated from Pennsauken High School and briefly attended Rutgers UniversityCamden. If you're a scraper, please click the link below :-) And the first thing it allows him to do is climb over his own biases. She'd been thinking about her godfather and great family friend, the lawyer Martin F. McKernan Jr., seriously ill with cancer. During a sting operation, today referred to as the Palmyra Tapes, Norcross was recorded telling Palmyra Councilman John Gural, All the Governors will work with me. . But she is nowhere to be found on the corporate masthead. Things Aint Always what They Seem: Our Society is in Deep Trouble and Oligarchy is the Blame, What the Fight For Camden(NJ) Schools Truly is(a Struggle for Our Survival), Buy Education Reform and Gentification in the Age of #CamdenRising: Public Education and Urban Redevelopment in the Camden, NJ, Education Reform and Gentrification in the Age of #CamdenRising Public Education and Urban Redvelopment in Camden, NJ, The Myth and Traction of the Failing Urban School Narrative, Camden Education Association 840 Cooper St. Camden, NJ. Resident Moneke Ragsdale remarked: The public needs to know how this happened. 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. When the Philadelphia Business Journal asked a spokesman at PhillyVoice whether Norcross owned the site, he declined to confirm that or anything else about PhillyVoice. To this day, the website refuses to say whether Norcross was an investor. Stay up to date with the latest materialGet posts via email. Things have evolved, says Norcross. It partially paid for last Julys Lady Gaga and Lenny Kravitz concert in Camden, even though the donation was made three months after the concert took place and the companys sponsorship was not advertised. educator, community, and student concerns. Many believe that in exchange for Christie not investigating Norcross and DiVincenzo, at a time when Christie showed a willingness to prosecute even minor infractions and perpetrators of the public trust including an Asbury Park councilman for getting his driveway paved for free. Christie allowed the two biggest powerbrokers in the state to escape similar investigative scrutiny in exchange for their tacit support for his gubernatorial candidacy, or at least, their less-than-zealous support for Jon Corzines re-election campaign in 2009. [24], 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. And he denies the existence of the much-ballyhooed Democratic machine. In terms of his public history, these disavowals have always seemed the most disingenuous aspect of Norcrosss back pages, since his operation appears to hold great influence over government jobs, contracts and political fund-raising. But he also grimaces. In the months after, Christie would explain publicly, that he did not have sufficient evidence to bring charges against Norcross because the Palmyra Tapes were lost. Imagine if his relationship with Dougherty becomes as robust as the one he has with Steve Sweeney in New Jersey: Together, the two would utterly dominate Philadelphias political scene. So the softer Chief also knew defeat: When the governor nominated him for appointment to the New Jersey Racing Commission, a Republican senator named Lee Laskin blocked him. Meet George Norcross. But it appears that without Norcross, the most pivotal donation of the 2015 mayoral race never would have happened. And Im getting older now. 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 school, Lanning Square Elementary. Norcross bought the Inquirer, the Daily News and Philly.com in partnership with philanthropist H.F. Gerry Lenfest and businessman Lewis Katz. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. That evening we had a dinner meeting with a potential business partner, says Hilferty, and we hear on the radio that Jim has won the primary. Illustration by Tim OBrien. Rather, hes the perfect man to turn out the lights., Read more here: Education Reform and Gentrification in the Age of #CamdenRising Public Education and Urban Redvelopment in Camden, NJ (2018, Peter Lang USA). Newsroom ire has instead focused on what many journalists and the Newspaper Guild charge is an effort to push out older reporters.IGM management has consistently declined to speak to City Paper about internal affairs. Norcross said he would invest $50 million in the project, and in March 2017, Norcross announced his company would move to the Camden waterfront as part of a $245 million development. He, finally, often ended most of his introductory FOR MOST OF HIS CAREER, Norcross, 60, stayed on his side of the Delaware. Thats, understandably, a concern., The Kings Speech: What Kids Should Know About MLKs Dream, Underlings fear his wrath. With Rouhanifards apparent political and public relations acumen, coupled with his pro-charter background and his demonstrated willingness to shutter public schools against the wishes of low-income minority residents in gentrifying Williamsburg (Brooklyn), coupled with the expansive nature of UHA and renaissance schools; his advocacy for a forthcoming universal enrollment system (that has been identified as a mechanism to reduce student enrollment in public school but guiding them in to charters), the education reform advocates began celebrating Rouhanifard and the possibilities it meant for public education Camden. Even before the Rouhanifard completed one year in Camden, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, the 74 Million, The New Teacher Project, and popular New Jersey-focused education reform blog, NJLeftBehind published articles praising Rouhanifard as the change Camden needed. He is, however, resigned to this fate. The Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol Building was as much an example of domestic terrorism as flying airplanes into tall buildings was an example of foreign terrorism. 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. Keep em coming; Camdens kids need you! It is widely suspected that Christie, prior to his run for New Jersey Governor, struck deals with critical Democratic power brokers in the state, Joe DiVincenzo, County Executive of Essex County, and Norcross of South Jersey, to forward his own gubernatorial ambitions. The massive number of government jobs and contracts that used to exist just dont anymore, he says. Retrieved May 26, 2019. Thats probably true, but its clear Norcross is becoming closer with Kenney. [5] He is regarded as New Jersey's most powerful unelected leader. She cant even call his office to complain. Alessandra T. Norcross is, according to a September report, 25 years old. Dont say anything, his father told him. And by Tuesday morning, faithful surrogates including daughter Lexie Norcross and City Councilwoman Felisha Reyes Morton were savaging Altman in the signature style that has made the Norcross political machine famous, and feared. Im not against him. Stop the Steal is a clever Trump supporters slogan, intended to convey Trumps false belief that 2020 reelection was stolen from him. George Norcross, Chris Christie, and Paymon Rouhanifard: The triumverite who snaked renaissance (corporate takeover) schools into Camden, The Genuine Problems I have with the Education Reform Communitya series (Pt. She was remembered as "a tireless advocate for senior citizens.". It plants lawn signs! But a lot of people I care about are, so in deference to them, I wouldnt want to say anything negative. Georgina Cross is the author of ONE NIGHT and NANNY NEEDED, Bantam, Penguin Random House, and the bestselling author of THE STEPDAUGHTER, as well as THE MISSING WOMAN and THE NIECE, Bookouture, Hachette Publishing. within a city known for generational poverty and where 23 of 26 schools were That PAC in turn quickly cut a $725,000 check to yet another super PAC Building a Better Pa. That was the Dougherty-tied PAC supporting Kenney for mayor. Errichetti had appointed Norcross director of a reconstituted Camden Parking Authority in 1978 when Norcross was only twenty-two. I think he truly believes the more successful and smoothly functioning and healthier the whole region is, the better business opportunities are going to be, says Comcast V.P. 162, No. He was a labor leader and served as a trustee of Cooper University Hospital. Neil's family has a long history in the legal profession. was tasked with: Developing and implementing structural changes to the portfolio of NYC schools in order to address systemic inequities and improve access to high performing schools. $17.99 + $4.99 shipping. 3), A Review of Demoralized: Why Teachers Leave the Profession They Love and How They Can Stay, a Review from the Perspective of a Black, Socialist Union Leader, Warning! 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. Wherever he can get it, he wants more., But the truth is more nuanced. After thorough investigations and significant media coverage, he was not charged. Thats just how significant, how full of implicit meaning, a meeting with Norcross is. Or consider the opposite: that he builds his base here, then ultimately takes on Doc. 1966 Rev George R Davis, Pres & Mrs Johnson At Dc Church Politics Wirephoto 8X10. So the risk is simple overreach. AmeriHealth Inc.s donation did not pay for the entire event. That moment came in 2012. Governors kowtow to his enormous political power. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. That error has been corrected above. his meteoric rise in education ensued. The press in Jersey tracks Norcrosss every move as best it can, anyway. He is a member of famous Businessman with the age 66 years old group. Says Rendell: When I ran for mayor and governor, George helped me. Philadelphia Inquirer reporter Claudia Vargas, in Plan for KIPP Cooper Norcross Academy in Camden approved by state, reported on the political dealings associated in the establishing of KCNA. Last December, Amy Kennedy, daughter-in-law of the late US Senator Ted Kennedy and wife of former Congressman from Rhode Island Patrick Kennedy published a statement that she was considering running for the Democratic nomination for the US House of Representatives seat from New Jersey's Second Congressional District. Still, Norcross asked State Senator Lee Laskin, a Republican, for a favor: Would he put Norcrosss dad on the New Jersey Racing Commission? Theres no doubt Norcross has done some good works with his immense power: As chairman of Cooper University Hospital in Camden, he built the institution into a giant. I meet with him in the Mayors Reception Room in City Hall, where hes holding a press conference encouraging Philadelphians to vote. Building on his labor and political connections, Norcross developed an insurance business that gave him the financial leverage to help Democratic politics in Camden County. Now, I hear that the Republican National Committee is paying some of Trumps legal bills for his defense against a New York probe over his business practices. He refuses to explain what hes up to, or why. But to be certain Cooper will succeed, he must consider the health of the city as a whole. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 64 years old? For our first meeting, at Cooper University Hospital, where he is chairman of the board, he dressed in a deep blue suit and French cuffs, his head topped by an avalanche of thick white hair. They werent as well-funded or as sexy, and they were backed by known entities: the teachers union and Johnny Doc. Further cementing their respective legacies, concerning Christie and Norcross, speculation holds that an agreement took place, dubbed the I-195 Deal. Aside from Not a chance. Norcross sued the State of New Jersey to try stop the highly critical report from becoming public. Due to an editing error, the print version of this article incorrectly reported that George Norcross had not granted any on-the-record interviews. Convention 2016 a division of General Majority PAC put on a fantastic free concert featuring Lady Gaga and Lenny Kravitz during the Democratic National Convention. You can say an insider said it.. I just cant win., My biggest mistake was allowing myself to be defined and branded in the 90s, he continues. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015. George Norcross Jr., whom admirers called "Big George" and "Chief," was a longtime AFL-CIO president. Not to the extent that he did with the Kenney election. He was survived by his mother, Margaret Norcross, wife Jo Ann Norcross, two step sons Steven and Scott Lind, his sisters Rhonda Jobes and Wendy Husted and several nephews, nieces and 3 grandchildren. When DRPA issued its final disbursements in 2011, Cooper University Hospital received $6 million. Discover George Norcross's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. FILE - In this March 5, 2014 file photo, George Norcross, addresses a gathering at a groundbreaking ceremony in Camden, N.J., for a new kind of school that Norcross' family foundation will help fund. UNC-Chapel Hill, and during his time there was president of the schools Its only natural to wonder when my number will come up.. Its all about power, says John Williamson, president of the Camden Fraternal Order of Police. the NYCDOE website, the OPM, Office of School Design and Charter Partnerships But perhaps the most alarming article for supporters of public education in Camden was an article published in the June 14th issue of the Reason Magazine, The Slow and Glorious Death of Americas Worst School System, where author Jim Epstein wrote: Within the next decade, the Camden school district is on course to enter a death spiral, sending the city the way of New Orleans, which has replaced all of its traditional schools with chartersPaymon Rouhanifard is probably the best superintendent Camden has ever had, but he wont be able to turn around the school system. Did this one signal that Norcross, after spending 30 years methodically taking over the state of New Jersey, was setting his sights on Philadelphia? This search result is here to prevent scraping, Exciting I-95 Capping Project Finally Begins In Philadelphia, Those Gummies May Not Have Contained Fentanyl After All, The Top 10 Things to Do With Kids in Philly This Month, Ultimate Guide to the 2023 Philadelphia Flower Show. Brady says that if incumbent Democratic Senator Bob Menendez has an issue he was indicted on corruption charges last year I would do everything I can to help Donald Norcross.. The Camden School District had previously started its own search last winter, and this search expanded upon that, bringing previous semi-finalists and then additional candidates, the governors office said. But before that would ever take place, Governor Christies office informed the Board president, Kathryn Blackshear that the state was assuming responsibility of appointing the next superintendent in Camden. NOBODY IN THIS town wants to talk about George Norcross. I see starting in the next number of months, principally with the affiliations we have, and then the process of a new project will follow. [28][29], Norcross has a daughter, Lexie, and a son, Alex. optimistic at best. By evaluating access to high-quality schools, the demand for educational services and the supply of space available for those services, Office of Portfolio Management strives to develop the optimal distribution of schools and educational programs. He played the role of matchmaker, of deal-broker. It was May 19th, the day Jim Kenney won the mayoral primary in a landslide. The daughter of famous/notorious South Jersey Democratic political boss and newly minted owner of both papers George Norcross is listed on the masthead as a "Director" of Interstate General Media LLC. He is chairman of the board of trustees for Cooper University Health Care System and Cooper University Hospital both in Camden, New Jersey, and has served as a trustee since 1990. In June that year, the state approved the partnership. According to Vail Daily, Neil's grandfather, John, was a partner in a Denver law firm. Further, Norcross began speaking of a then-hypothetical network of charter schools in Camden on account that saving Camden, would require saving its public schools, or at least having educational options open to its families. Norcross also remarked in Fall 2011 regarding Camden education, I think a material change could happen 24-30 months from now. Look, says Ali Sloan El, a longtime city activist, George is for George.. For many years, he has been named one of the most powerful non-elected political figures in New Jersey by the website PolitickerNJ.com. And it sure looks like President Donald Trump and NJ political boss George Norcross really have a lot in common! And I got portrayed, you know, as the guy with the cigar and the horns., Norcrosss critics believe hes not difficult to understand. Both Doc and George need to be the top dog in the room.. Norcross remembers sitting in a political science course at Rutgers-Camden, a 19-year-old making mental note of his professors ignorance. Quick and entertaining New York City local news, events, food, arts, sports and more. In the mid-1930s, Gregor became the mistress of the married vice chancellor of Austria, the Austro . It was all so peculiar. Democratic power broker George E. Norcross III and his business partners have invested in projects along Camden's Delaware River waterfront that have benefited from nearly $290 million in tax credits and other incentives from the state. George E. Norcross, III (born March 16, 1956) is an American businessman and a Democratic Party organiser and power broker in New Jersey. A machine performs a prescribed function. The money raised some eyebrows. Probably because he thought I would be a good mayor, he says. So it never took place, Kenney says. The neighborhood in which KNCA is situated is one where the most visible signs of redevelopment with massive building construction, home rehabilitation, and rising home prices are apparent. I know I felt terrorized when outgoing President Donald Trump urged the unruly mob down the street to the Capitol to fight like hell. Then, some demonstrators put up a hangmans noose designed for then-Vice President Mike Pence, because he was doing his constitutional duty to accept the 2020 electoral votes in favor of the winner, Joe Biden. 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. She was not terminated but voluntarily left after her ownership share, along with her fathers, was bought out by Katz, Lenfest and their partners. And so Norcross has turned his sights on all of Camden, Americas poorest city. This would mean the world to him, Norcross reportedly told Laskin. One is simply that Norcross is moving into Philly because its good for business. Send a letter to the editor of South Jersey Times at sjletters@njadvancemedia.com. The concert was co-sponsored by a number of entities, including AmeriHealth, which made a contribution to General Majority PAC Convention 2016.. Im not that expensive!. Ascending to the chairmanship of the Camden County Democratic Committee at the tender age of 31, Young George, a high-school soccer and basketball player, brought the jock-ready jargon and just-win mentality of the locker room to state politics. Ed Rendell says Norcross raised about $50,000 for his gubernatorial campaign: You know, nothing big. Norcross also had deep connections at the Delaware River Port Authority in the 2000s, where he likely brushed up against Johnny Doc and other Philly power brokers. But it does not define who he is., Norcrosss allies cite his intense loyalty. Hes already conquered New Jersey. By contrast, Katz's longtime partner is Inquirer city. Businesses and labor unions with close ties to Norcross spent vast sums of money to get Kenney elected, and have teamed up with John Johnny Doc Dougherty, the citys building-trades kingpin. Donald W. Norcross (born December 13, 1958) is an American politician and labor leader who is the U.S. representative for New Jersey's 1st congressional district in South Jersey.A member of the Democratic Party, Norcross was first elected to this congressional seat in 2014, following the resignation of Rob Andrews.His district covers much of the New Jersey side of the Philadelphia metro area . Jay Lassiter, a longtime Democrat in Camden County whos worked on campaigns for such Norcross-backed candidates as John Adler and Rob Andrews, calls the matter debatable, then goes on to count the ways in which Norcrosss critics fail to appreciate his more visionary qualities. But there is a larger portrait hereof the political operator as artist, and the artist as an aging, more reflective man. , money, salary, income, and assets. But before Rouhanifards arrival in Camden, he made a brief professional stop in Newark working as Cami Andersons Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer where he, like his time in NYC, expanded the charter footprint in Newark, closed traditional public schools, and instituted what would be a highly controversial computer-based universal enrollment system called, One Newark. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. 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. 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Norcross, scares his enemies, is enormously rich from public contracts with his insurance businesses [Connor, Strong, & Buckelew], and through loyalty of his political operatives, controls of the votes in the legislature and controls more votes in the state legislature than anyone else. It can be argued that with Governor Christies ascension to office, despite being a Republican, Norcross power only increased throughout NJ politics statewide, not just in South Jersey. Not as much, he replies, confusingly. Note that clicking the link below will block access to this site for 24 hours. It didnt matter that Norcross didnt have an appointment. So, how much is George Norcross worth at the age of 66 years old? At 66 years old, George Norcross height not available right now. Thats how George and I have gotten to know each other, says Hilferty, the CEO who was with Norcross on the night Kenney won the primary. Website design, managed and hosted by DEP Design, depdesign.com, a New York interactive agency. Her first husband was Mitja Nikisch, a pianist and son of celebrated orchestral conductor Arthur Nikisch.They divorced circa 1934. And the police forcewhich has at least temporarily waived the civil-service exam process in order to staff upwill become a giant patronage mill, churning out government jobs for good little Camden County Democrats. Mary Ellen Norcross. The parameters of the agreement entailed that Norcross would to withhold support and endorsement for, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Barbara Buono, in exchange for Christie not campaigning for any Republican Assembly or Senate candidates in South Jersey.