Gov. Chris Christie and the state Republican Party will repay the state for two trips on a State Police helicopter to get to his son’s baseball game, according to The Associated Press.
Christie’s office said yesterday that he wouldn’t repay the state for the cost of the $2,500 an hour flight, citing that he is always on duty. State Police said the flights did not cost the state anything because they were part of required training for pilots.
The AP quoted a spokeswoman for the governor, Maria Comella, as saying Christie has paid $2,251 to the state to cover the cost of all trips. She added that the state Republican Party has paid $919 to cover the cost of Christie’s trip Tuesday from Montvale to Princeton.
The most recent ride, on Tuesday, drew national widespread criticism from those who questioned the governor’s use of helicopter when he flew from downtown Trenton to Montvale, in Bergen County, to watch his son Andrew play baseball, and then to Princeton, where he met with a group of wealthy Republican donors from Iowa who traveled to New Jersey to try to persuade Christie to run for president in 2012.
Christie also took a state helicopter to a baseball game in Morris Township on Friday, landing about 4:30 p.m., according to sources at the game who requested anonymity because of the tight-knit nature of the school community.
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5 Responses
Liberal democrats are always very busy with symbolisms, in order to blure and avoid focus on the factual crucial truths…
Why cant Governor Cristie take a ride to his sons game with the state helicapter but the president can fly Air Force One when he goes around fondraising?
Deiyezooger,
When feasible the President does, of course, drive to fundraisers, although the security around him makes that much more difficult than it would for the Governor of New Jersey. In any event, the President’s campaign reimburses the government for the cost of a first class air ticket when the plane is used for campaigning. (The reason they don’t reimburse the whole cost is that the President needs to fly Air Force One when he flies for practical reasons and forcing him to pay the cost of a 747 every time he campaigned would make it impossible for him to do so. For what it’s worth, the same quasi-reimbursement applies when any candidate accepts a ride on a private jet as well.)
#1
What symbolisms? We’re talking about taxpayer money and resources, not a lapel pin!
#4 The state police said yesterday that this his flight wouldn’t cost the taxpayers any money what so ever. As a matter of fact they said they are required to fly a certain amount of hours and log it as well. The liberals are selfish fools who condemn a person to running to see his family. Next time you work from outside your office make sure you dock it from your pay. Because what you are saying is that a person can never work away from their office. A person who Governs is on call ALL the time no matter where what or when, that is what we pay him for and its incorporated into his salary.