A New Jersey Superior Court Judge has dismissed all indictments against Democratic powerbroker George Norcross, saying in his decision that no crimes have been committed.

In his ruling, Superior Court Judge Peter Warshaw wrote that the factual allegations in the indictment brought by Attorney General Matt Platkin “did not constitute extortion or criminal coercion,” adding that that there was “no racketeering enterprise” as alleged by the state.

“It follows that if the facts alleged do not, as a matter of law, constitute a crime, the indictment is manifestly deficient and facially and palpably defective,” Warshaw continued.  “The indictment must be dismissed because its factual allegations do not constitute extortion or criminal coercion as a matter of law.”

In a statement, Platkin criticized the ruling and said the state will immediately appeal.

“We disagree strongly with the trial court’s decision, and we are appealing immediately,” he said. “After years in which the U.S. Supreme Court has consistently cut back on federal public corruption law, and at a time in which the federal government is refusing to tackle corruption, it has never been more important for state officials to take corruption head on. But I have never promised that these cases would be easy, because too many have come to view corruption as simply the way the powerful do business in New Jersey.”

Attorneys for Norcross and his co-defendants filed a motion to dismiss the indictment in September, saying the case against them was “legally flawed,” while insisting that no crime was ever committed.