In a startling political move, South Jersey Democratic power broker George Norcross III went to court Thursday seeking a restraining order against Gov. Phil Murphy and his administration to shut down the investigation of a special governor’s task force into the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.

The filing by the insurance executive also sought to halt any further public hearings and to stop the task force from issuing additional subpoenas.

In a 44-page brief filed in Mercer County Superior Court, lawyers for Norcross, his insurance company, and other Camden-based entities with ties to him, challenged the legality and conduct of the task force, citing the “unlawful acts” of the governor and others in empowering the investigative board.

At the same time, the brief said Norcross and others “have made an enormous investment in the revitalization of Camden,” and have been “falsely and publicly accused of misconduct regarding the tax incentives.”

The task force is tentatively scheduled to hold its third public hearing next Tuesday, and announced this week it will issue a report of its findings. Meanwhile, the Attorney General’s office continues to ramp up its own investigation of the EDA, which has been served with state grand jury subpoenas seeking documents related to its tax incentive programs.

The task force, headed by former state Public Advocate Ronald Chen, was formed by Murphy in January following a harsh critical audit by the New Jersey comptroller, who concluded the EDA may have “improperly awarded, miscalculated, overstate and overpaid” tax credits to a number of companies.

The report also said the EDA, which is responsible for directing New Jersey’s economic development efforts, could not evaluate whether its inventive programs generated any economic benefits to the state, and had certified projects and released tax credits even when projects did not meet the requirements, in violation of the law.

The major incentive programs — the Grow New Jersey Assistance Program and the Economic Redevelopment and Growth Grant Program — are set to expire in July unless renewed by the Legislature.

Meanwhile, it has become increasingly clear that Norcross has been a key target of the governor’s task force, which has been examining how lucrative tax incentives were approved in the city of Camden, financially benefitting Norcross and others close to him.

Documents released by the task force at a recent hearing revealed amendments to the state’s tax incentive legislation that benefitted Norcross interests in Camden were drafted by Keven Sheehan, a real estate attorney for the law firm of Parker McCay. Norcross’s brother, Philip Norcross, is Parker McCay’s chief executive.

Norcross had earlier filed a lawsuit against the governor, claiming Murphy overstepped his authority in the creation of the task force. That lawsuit was brought on behalf of Norcross; his insurance company, Conner Strong & Buckelew, LLC; NFI, L.P.; The Michaels Organization, LLC; Cooper University Health Care and Parker McKay.

In seeking a restraining order, Norcross and those companies asked a judge to essentially shut down the task force. It their brief, they said the task force’s “misconduct” has caused them to suffer reputational harm, citing news stories that suggested they had “broken or taken unfair advantage of the EDA’s tax-incentive programs.”

The upcoming public hearing and release of an interim report next Tuesday, though, was a major issue for Norcross.

The brief said that report “will undoubtedly refer to (the) plaintiffs or suggest that they are among those participants who have violated the terms of those programs. The attendant harm to plaintiffs’ reputations will be irreparable because, among other things, it will chill other firms and clients from doing business with them generally, and in Camden specifically."

A spokesman for the governor and for the task force declined comment.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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