Report: Christie Spent $300k On Food, Booze First 5 Years In Office
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Cue up the late night monologue jokes.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's office has responded to a report by NewJerseyWatchdog.org that the governor spent $360,000 from his state allowance in his first five years of office.
More than 80 percent of that allowance -- $300,000 -- was spent on food and alcohol, according to the report.
One of his biggest spending sprees happened during the 2010 and 2011 NFL seasons, when the governor spent nearly $83,000 on concessions at MetLife Stadium, according to the report.
"Whenever the governor hosts an event in his official capacity, the discretionary account is available to pay for those costs associated with official reception and hosting and related incidental expenses. The official nature and business purpose of the event remains the case regardless of whether the event is at the State House, Drumthwacket, or at a sporting venue," said Christie's press secretary Kevin Roberts.
From my office: pic.twitter.com/Uy6Ev2vALh
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) May 11, 2015
"Nonetheless in early 2012, the Governor made the decision that costs associated with hosting at the sporting venues were better paid with non-state funds, and those expenses incurred during 2010 and 2011 were reimbursed by the NJGOP. This week, to ensure this remains the case in full, the NJGOP reimbursed the Treasury for an additional $3,367.22 to deal with an accounting anomaly," Roberts said.
The New Jersey Republican State Committee reimbursed the Treasury in March 2012 for those concession charges.
Christie gets $95,000 per year in expense advances paid quarterly by the state.