George Norcross, Tax Breaks and a Wild Moment in Trenton

It was a busy week on the George Norcross beat.  

The Democratic Party boss testified Monday before a New Jersey State Senate committee that is evaluating the state’s controversial tax break program. It didn’t go as planned when State Troopers forcibly dragged Sue Altman of NJ Working Families out of the room. 

Then he spoke at a political science series at Montclair State University. 

WNYC’s Nancy Solomon attended both and breaks it down for us. 

She says Norcross insisted he did not have undue influence over the writing of the tax break bill, nor has he personally benefited from it. Norcross spoke before the senate committee for an hour and a half, but only fielded 9 questions and not one follow-up.  

“This really goes to the heart of the matter -- what kind of influence does he have over the legislature and how does he use it to benefit himself,” Solomon says.  “That’s why the anti-Norcross activists were protesting the senate hearing, because they see the legislature as beholden to Norcross, the party boss.