Posted on 06/03/2011 9:49:33 AM PDT by no dems
After a firestorm of criticism, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie agreed Thursday to reimburse the state for his personal use of a state police helicopter, despite imposing on the state no immediate marginal costs, because he said the story had become a distraction.
Remaining unapologetic about his use of the helicopter to attend two of his son’s baseball games and a political dinner with Republican campaign contributors from Iowa, Mr. Christie said that he has reimbursed the state about $2,100 and asked the state Republican Party to pay about $1,200 for his trip to see the donors.
Mr. Christie said of the two baseball game trips that he was just trying to balance his role as governor and as a father.
“I’m governor 24/7 … but I am also a father. And the fact of the matter is, sometime when you are a governor, you do not control your schedule,” he said at a bill-signing ceremony in Denville.
Mr. Christie’s reversal came a day after a spokesman said the governor would not make a reimbursement, defending the trips as appropriate.
After seeing his son’s game Tuesday, Mr. Christie and his wife used the helicopter to fly 75 miles to the official governor’s mansion in Princeton for dinner with a group of top Republican campaign contributors from Iowa, who tried unsuccessfully to persuade Mr. Christie to run for president in 2012.
He also used the helicopter to fly from the Statehouse in Trenton on Friday to see another of his son’s games.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
It would be refreshing if he said, “hey even I can learn to save the state money”.
“...reimburse the state for his personal use of a state police helicopter, despite imposing on the state no immediate marginal costs...”
Just because you ‘can’ use the copter doesn’t mean you ‘should’...
Yawwwn.........
Maybe he should have taken the chopper to the statue of liberty for some campaign photos.
This whole helicopter incident is disgusting. Any FReepers want to show up again and defend this phony some more? He is even making the NJ GOP pay for some of this. How is it the parties responsibility. I am sure some close races will be lost over the loss of money now. This fat gasbag Christie is no better than any other Progressive. All this guy has for a record is a series of You Tube videos.
Meanwhile Obama jets around the country doing campaign fundraising and his obsessive and unseemingly early reelection campaign kick off using AIr Force One and all the support aircraft it requires at $50 million a pop—and the DNC reimburses the govt to the laughable tune of $350 and the media is silent. The Democrites are the biggest bunch of laughable clowns in the history of mankind.
At any rate, he should know that he'd get called out on it's use, regardless if it was to be in the area. Even I know that.
" " Maybe a 'low flyby" also " "
At any rate, he should know that he’d get called out on it’s use, regardless if it was to be in the area. Even I know that.
I agree.
What a disappointment Gov. Christie has become.
His comment about trying to balance his role as father and Governor are insulting and stupid. Did he forget he’s spending OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY?! Does he understand that a lot of us other Dads are also trying hard to balance work life and family life - but on our own dime?
His son’s baseball game is more important than yours.
Christie orchestrates obnoxious theater for the parents of all the other team players. Obama would approve.
Christie had no idea he had a family and then suddenly they just popped up after he became governor.
Your Post #10 makes a lot of sense.
Are you a RINO or a Troll?
Funny how the Christie haters on FR are so much like the Christie haters on MSNBC.
His “Fat Bastard” picture on Drudge the other day gave me the CREEPS!!
“Are you a RINO or a Troll?”
Multiple choice? I lived in jersey most of my life, until I escaped and came home to Texas.
I know Christie. My wife worked for Whitman. This is such a non story, although for jersey this is SOP. Just about every politician uses state property for personal use and I am not condoning it. Just sayin.
We are sitting here talking about what a RINO governor is doing with his time and state resources. It’s a waste of time and resources to be here debating this.
And just for the record, the difference between a conservative and a liberal is, the liberal will take the plane and use taxpayer money. The conservative sells the plane, puts the money back in the treasury and flys commercial.
Did anyone catch the Fox News clip today of Christie speaking of this?
He was saying it was important to him that he see his son’s games before the kid goes off to college.
Then he said, “I’m only going to be Vice, ‘em Governor, for a while, but I’ll be a father forever.”
Vice? vICe? VICE?!?! Freudian slip? Or has the Republican Party already told him that he will be Romney’s VP? Does the Republican Party even care what Conservatives want?
I was wondering if you could expand on that comment. Could you show a dullard like myself where Christie is even mildly Conservative? Maybe you could direct me towards some legislative measures he enacted to save NJ or where he installed judges that are Conservative. I can't seem to find anything but some You Tube videos of him railing against the teachers unions.
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