Did George Norcross Try to Boot Inga Saffron?

Norcross spokesman denies allegations.

Jim Romenesko, who blogs about journalism at his eponymous Romenesko website, says Inquirer co-owner George Norcross tried to get architecture critic Inga Saffron reassigned from her long-running — and, as of Monday, Pulitzer Prize-winning — column on architecture criticism.

Romenesko reports:

Twice in late 2012, I’m told, George Norcross criticized Inga Saffron – she won the paper’s Pulitzer this week – for not being a Philadelphia booster. He told an Inquirer journalist that “she brings down every major building in the city” in her reviews, one my sources reports.

“Who needs an architecture critic?” Norcross reportedly said. I’m told that she was among the columnists that the newspaper co-owner wanted reassigned to reporting duties.

Norcross spokesman Daniel Fee denies the rumors, and told Romenesko: “Anonymous statements are worthless.”