By MATT FRIEDMAN
Last night we finally got a look at the finances of “Jersey Freedom,” the independent expenditure committee that disclosed its existence late in the campaign with mailers and TV ads boosting “conservative” alleged phantom candidates and an unwitting Libertarian candidate to siphon votes from actual Republican candidates in two South Jersey districts.
According to its latest report from ELEC, Jersey Freedom raised $225,000 — all from Brighter Future Forward, a South Jersey Democratic super PAC that also first came to the public’s attention late in the campaign season. The money came in two installments on Oct. 26 and Nov. 1. Brighter Future Forward’s funding, in turn, came exclusively from two sources: $2.5 million from Carpenters union-affiliated super PACs in two installments over the summer, and $1.165 million from American Representative Majority, the long-existing South Jersey Democratic PAC, in payments made on Oct. 26, Oct. 30 and Nov. 1.
The biggest source of income for American Representative Majority was Democratic power broker George Norcross, who loaned it $850,000 on Oct. 25 and $500,000 on Oct. 30. That $1.35 million from Norcross is just over half of everything the group reported raising this election cycle.
It was pretty obvious based on circumstantial evidence that Jersey Freedom was a South Jersey Democratic venture. Now it’s official. Jersey Freedom — whose bank account was frozen by a judge after Republicans filed suit — also released a statement shortly after filing its disclosure form with ELEC, though no one put their name on it. It says the group fully complied with the law in disclosing its existence in October and only disclosing its funding source 20 days after the election. .
“Jersey Freedom has fully complied with the recently enacted Elections Transparency Act, authored by Senator Nick Scutari and signed into law by Governor Phil Murphy on April 3, 2023.,” reads the beginning of the statement.
Wait a second. If that’s the case, does this mean the Elections Transparency Act didn’t actually make elections more transparent?
DEAR US ATTORNEY AND VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES
CONNOR STRONG AND BUCKELEW
EXPRESS SCRIPTS
THE LEVEL CARE SCAM
CROOKED NEW JERSEY PACS
WHY IS SO MUCH MONEY GOING FROM THE UBC TO SOME NEW JERSEY SHYTE HOLE AND SCAMS CONNECTED TO THIS WANNA BE THUG
Report: AG investigating corruption in Camden, with Norcross as potential focus
NJ Advance Media reports that new subpoenas have been issued related to development deals
New Jersey AG probes power broker’s real estate deals
George Norcross’ Camden deals along Delaware River may have been shady
How Companies and Allies of One Powerful Democrat Got $1.1 Billion in Tax Breaks
Meet George Norcross. 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 brother.
How a Politically Powerful Family Muscled a Nonprofit Out of Some of a City’s Most Valuable Land
Tax breaks were supposed to lead to a rebirth for one state’s poorest city. But the city has also been reshaped by the rich and influential Norcross family in ways that benefit it and its allies.
READ IT HERE
Tap on Norcross’ phones stemmed from Philly union probe, records show
Norcrossing the Delaware: How South Jersey’s Political Boss Is Making His Move on Philly
But stories about Norcross’s bare-knuckle tactics occasionally leak out most famously in the recordings known as the Palmyra Tapes. About 15 years ago, John Gural, a then-Palmyra councilman who claimed he was being pressured and bribed to fire an enemy of Norcross’s, recorded the political boss with a hidden microphone. Though Norcross was never accused of wrongdoing, the tapes are chilling.
In a cool, calculated voice, Norcross brags about his influence with governors and U.S. senators: “In the end, the McGreeveys, the Corzines, they’re all going to be with me. Not because they like me, but because they have no choice.” He talks about his legacy: “No one will ever, ever again not include or look down or double-cross South Jersey. Never again will that happen. 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, don’t f..k with me on this one … ’cause I’ll tell you if you ever do that and I catch you one more time doing it, you’re gonna get your f...ing b...s cut off.’”
OHH.. LITTLE TYKES GEORGE. YOU ARE SO SCARY.
I WATCHED YOU AT THE FOOTBALL GAME TAKE A SWIPE AT SECURITY.I WAS SURPRISED YOU DID NOT TRY TO HIT HIM WITH YOUR FANNY PACK
AND LETS ALSO ASK WHY LITTLE TYKES GEORGEY'S BROTHER CONGRESSMAN DONALD DOOLITTLE NORCROSS
WHO IS IN OFFICE BECAUSE OF FRANKY SPENCER AND UBC MONEY REFUSES TO ANSWER IF IT WAS HIM WHO PUT THE LANGUAGE IN
IF THIS ISN'T A STRONG ARM EXTORTION THEN SOMEBODY'S GETTING PAID
Polistina seeks ELEC probe of shadowy independent expenditure group
Atlantic County lawmaker says Jersey Freedom sough to mislead voters
By David Wildstein,