New Jersey campaign finance regulators have given Gov. Chris Christie’s re-election campaign permission to raise money and spend it on complying with subpoenas from investigations into a political retribution scandal.

The Election Law Enforcement Commission voted on the unusual request Tuesday.

Because the Republican governor accepted public matching money for his re-election campaign last year, he was limited to spending $12.2 million.

The campaign came within $13,000 of hitting the limit, so it needed permission to raise and spend more for lawyers, data-mining and fundraising costs to comply with subpoenas. The campaign received the subpoenas last month from the U.S. attorney’s office and a special legislative investigation.

Any money raised for the purpose but not used would have to be handed over to the state government.

(AP)