General Majority does not have official ties to Norcross, an insurance executive who is the most powerful unelected figure in New Jersey politics, but is generally seen as his PAC. | Mel Evans/AP Photo PSEG tried to give $55K to Norcross-linked ‘dark money’ group after nuclear subsidy approved

Four months after winning approval for a lucrative nuclear subsidy with the help of a top ally of power broker George Norcross, the state's largest energy company tried to give a $55,000 donation to a “dark money” group with close ties to the political kingmaker.

But the company — Public Service Enterprise Group, which fought aggressively to secure the $300 million annual subsidy to support its nuclear operations — mistakenly gave the money to General Majority, a directly affiliated super PAC that must disclose its donors. General Majority spent heavily to support the reelection campaign of Senate President Steve Sweeney, the primary sponsor of the nuclear subsidy and Norcross' most powerful ally in the Legislature.


The money was actually meant to go to General Growth Fund — a related entity that is not required to disclose its donors.

After inquiries by POLITICO, PSEG — which owns and operates three nuclear plants as well as New Jersey’s biggest utility — provided documents showing that a top official realized the company’s error and successfully requested a full refund of the Sept. 21 donation, saying in a Dec. 6 email that the money was “clearly intended to be sent to the General Growth Fund.”

General Majority and General Growth Fund share office space and leadership.

General Growth Fund is the “direct controlling entity” of General Majority PAC, as well as two other 501(c)4 groups, according to federal tax documents. Both are run by Susan McCue, co-founder and president of General Majority and the principal officer of General Growth Fund, according to campaign finance records and federal tax documents. General Majority and General Growth Fund have also shared a P.O. box in Trenton.

Mike Jennings, a spokesperson for PSEG, did not respond directly to questions about who asked for the donation and why it was given, nor would he confirm that the same amount made its way to the General Growth Fund after the refund.

“PSEG supports numerous state and regional organizations based on their efforts to serve the interests of New Jersey and the residents of the many communities that we impact with our operations,” Jennings said in an email. “The General Growth Fund is a non-profit that promotes policies that help middle- and working-class families in New Jersey.”

501(c)4 organizations like General Growth Fund, which are not required under federal law to disclose who funds them, have come under increased scrutiny in New Jersey. Most recently, one such group, New Direction New Jersey, which has close ties to Gov. Phil Murphy, has been running TV ads touting his accomplishments. The group initially said it would disclose its donors, but later reversed that pledge. On Friday, Murphy called for the group and others like it to release their donors.

In 2017, General Majority played a major role in helping Sweeney win reelection when the South Jersey Democrat came under an intense attack by a super PAC funded by the New Jersey Education Association, the state’s largest teachers union. General Majority donated $2.7 million to New Jerseyans for a Better Tomorrow, another PAC that spent millions to boost Sweeney in what became the most expensive legislative race in state history.

“General Growth Fund spends the majority of its money on nonpartisan voter registration and nonpartisan get-out-the-vote efforts. No elected official is involved in solicitations,” Ezra Reese, an attorney for General Growth Fund, said in an email.

Richard McGrath, a spokesperson for Sweeney, declined to comment and Daniel Fee, a spokesperson for Norcross, did not return a request for comment.

General Majority does not have official ties to Norcross, an insurance executive who is the most powerful unelected figure in New Jersey politics, but is generally seen as his PAC.

It had $2.25 million in outstanding loans received in 2017 and early 2018 from a group of wealthy men with ties to Norcross. The donors included Phil Norcross, George Norcross’ brother and a lawyer, and Bill Tambussi, Norcross’ top lawyer. Norcross has also raised money for the PAC, including hosting a 2017 fundraiser that featured the actor Alec Baldwin as the headliner, Philadelphia Magazine reported.

Sweeney and Norcross grew up together in South Jersey and Norcross backed Sweeney’s rise to power.

PSEG in 2017 spent a record $2.4 million lobbying for the nuclear bill, which could award the company up to $300 million a year to bolster its three nuclear plants in Salem County. Those facilities are located in Sweeney’s district and provide more than 1,600 jobs.

The nuclear bill faced strong opposition from a rare coalition of environmental advocates, industry leaders and business groups, all of whom argued PSEG’s nuclear plants are still profitable and shouldn’t receive hundreds of millions in subsidies on the backs of utility customers.

The Board of Public Utilities, the state agency that regulates utilities, is reviewing applications submitted by PSEG for the nuclear subsidy for the Salem County plants. PSEG was the only electric distribution company to apply for the bailout. With the planned retirement of the Oyster Creek nuclear plant, PSEG is the only owner of nuclear plants in the state.

The BPU has said it will make a final decision in April. If approved, residents and businesses will pay for the nuclear subsidy through charges on their utility bills.

PSEG also gave money for the 2017 elections, including a $115,000 donation to the Republican Governors Association and $187,500 donation to the Democratic Governors Association.

Ryan Hutchins contributed to this report