The criminal case against New Jersey political figure George Norcross, which also names NFI CEO Sidney Brown as a co-defendant, has seen new developments this month offering further insight into the real estate disputes at the core of the indictment. Most recently, on Tuesday, the defendants, including Norcross and Brown, filed a motion in Superior Court in Mercer County (where the state capital, Trenton, is located) to have the indictment dismissed. This action follows a civil lawsuit filed in early September by Philadelphia developer Carl Dranoff and his companies against Norcross and others, though not Brown. Dranoff's properties and development rights along the Camden, New Jersey, waterfront were allegedly targeted by what prosecutors have termed the "Norcross Enterprise."

The motion to dismiss the criminal case echoes the argument made by Norcross's attorneys during his arraignment in June: that the dealings between Norcross, his associates, and Dranoff, while aggressive, were not criminal. (Brown was arraigned separately in August, entering a not guilty plea.) Despite being frequently described as a "kingmaker" or "power broker" in South Jersey Democratic politics, Norcross has never held public office.

"This is supposedly a story of extortion — but there’s no violence or unlawful threats; only ordinary economic bargaining among sophisticated businessmen," the motion states, characterizing the situation as "routine politics."