the aftershocks are still Rippling through the state after South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross was indicted on 13 counts of racketeering yesterday perhaps equally stunning was the sight of Norcross in the room staring down New Jersey attorney general Matt plaen as he announced the charges and some of the evidence against him even in a state like New Jersey with too many corruption cases to count over the years this one's been a surprise for some who aren't used to seeing the state bring a RICO or racketeering case so how did we get here senior political correspondent David Cruz takes a look at the history of the allegations and the players who pushed for accountability at attorney general Matt platkin press conference announcing a 13 count indictment against him South Jersey political boss George Norcross sat in the front row refusing to move even when asked by the attorney general staff it was quite possibly the most George Norcross thing George Norcross has ever done in a long career of being George Norcross that piece of theater is going to go down in New Jersey lore to have Norcross sitting up there it did look like an act of intimidation it was his way of communicating hey you know you've really picked a fight here and you're gonna live to regret it kind of look if he was intimidated platkin didn't really show it it had no comment later about the Norcross theatrics letting the charges do his talking we're here today to announce the unsealing of a 13-count indictment charging George Norcross with leading a criminal Enterprise the state alleges that defendants George Norcross Philip Norcross William tambi the former mayor of Camden Dana red cydney Brown and John O'Donnell committed the crime of first-degree racketeering conspiracy among other offenses to further the purposes of the Norcross Enterprise the allegations are serious and Carry long prison terms the state alleges that nor cross and his codefendants cornered the market on properties tax credits and other incentives made possible by The Economic Opportunity Act a Christy Arab multi-billion dollar economic booster shot aimed right at the city of Camden using threats intimidation and all the political muscle at his disposal to do it in response a defiant Norcross said you got nothing remember who he is and what he was he was a seconde associate at a law firm who's a politician now masquerading as an attorney general his interest is to find himself a venue where he can be hoisted on the shoulders of whomever we want to go to trial two weeks Matt plen come join us try the case because you're people don't want to try anything the charges contained in the indictment have long been asserted by community leaders like roncha Dickerson who's been saying that the Camden Renaissance was good for the Norcross Brothers but not so much for Ken's longtime residence though this is coming from the AG's office this is 20 years of rash Community work and I I want to cite this David saying that we did this with no support no um legal support it was us in spirit and and and courage getting in front of the FBI getting in front of different people and telling the story no KN that we're dealing with people who are who could have some different powers that could really change our livelihoods nor cross may be down but he is certainly not out still gubernatorial candidate and longtime no friend of Norcross Steve FIP says the Norcross indictment should be part of a sea change in Jersey politics New Jersey is a little bit different than any other state where there is essentially a shadow government that makes decisions so you see your elected officials but for the most part your elected off offals aren't the ones making the decisions there's four or five people that choose who the candidates are for governor speaker Senate President every powerful position and legislation that goes through so a change to the system that there's no longer a party bosses will make a government more efficient more transparent more affordable and more accountable to the public when they rewrote the uh Economic Opportunity Act that chapter that collaboration I talked to you earlier about with Sweeney Norcross and Chris Christy is uh going to get Revisited and in today's New Jersey political climate where the improbable has become the inevitable who knows what you might find when you start to revisit things I'm David Cruz NJ Spotlight News