"Christie acknowledges inappropriate use of state helicopter cost taxpayers thousands
The taxpayers of New Jersey paid $2,251 so Gov. Christie could use a state helicopter to attend his son’s baseball games. It also cost $919 for Christie to use the helicopter to meet GOP donors from Iowa. On Wednesday, Christie said he wouldn’t reimburse taxpayers. As criticism mounted, he reversed course and today says he will split the costs with the state GOP."
Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) bullies a great game of warning the people of his state that they have to tighten their belts and be prepared for the world of hurt they will experience under his fiscally responsible administration. He then hops on a government helicopter and is air lifted to his son's baseball game, just like a potentate would expect. "Let them eat hot dogs!" Christie was heard shouting as the copter headed to the ballpark.
From NJ.com:
Cuts in spending? Fiscal responsibility? That's just for the "little" people. And Mr. Christie is most definitely not "little" people.
"A brand-new State Police helicopter was Gov. Chris Christie’s ride of choice yesterday as he traveled to and from his son’s baseball game in Bergen County.
His office won’t say where he came from or where he went afterward. But about an hour and 10 minutes after leaving the game, Christie arrived, by car, at the governor’s mansion in Princeton to meet with a group of Iowa businessmen trying to recruit him for a presidential run."
15 comments:
Shaw, to me this is nothing more than how government officials have to get around.
I don't think there is much wrong here, just like I don't take much offense when Dems do the same.
But I am sure we will hear from the usual suspects about how liberals are critical of the Gov for this when we said nothing about Pelosi flitting about at government expense.
A bad political judgement? Yep, just like the haircut on the Tarmac for Clinton. Evidence of government corruption, nope.
Jay Z made a song about this called "Big Pimpin'". He didn't HAVE to get to the game. He could have filmed it. People get arrested for speeding to get their pregnant wife to the Hospital.
Let's judge Gov. Christie by his own metrics and the standards they judge the POTUS by.
he's still a hypocrite buffoon, no matter what. and presidential? Nah, not on your life!
We must as the tax payers realize the importance of a father making it to the game to support his son. After all he is doing good work cutting social programs and anything that helps the lives of the state's citizens! He is the important one. Citizens are the chumps!
That's not my opinion at all. Get rid of the arrogant elected and replace them with the humble.
being an outsider i don't know much about the guy but he looks like a fat fuck who has never had blisters on his hands from doing an honest day's work.
Agree with Dave on this one. I get tired of people whining when Obama uses AF1 to go somewhere as well, and usually those complainers have to be reminded that W did the same thing flying to Texas dozens of times.
billy, the Governor is mine sadly, and yes he is an arrogant fat fuck. Pure arrogance oozes from his big fat icky pores!
Shaw, Palin is headed for Boston, get your middle finger ready!!! LOL
Yeah, I wouldn't be judging him when we have Pelosi. Both sides do it. According to General Services Administration data, the number of limousines in the federal fleet increased from 238 in fiscal 2008, the last year of the George W. Bush administration, to 412 in 2010. Limos aren't cheap, especially when they're buying Cadillac DTSs, which cost the taxpayer more than $60,000 for a 2011 base model and support the additional weight [and cost] of armoring. Our politicians think they deserve to travel as rock stars.
Kid - obviously you don't have kids. It's important for parents to be present in their lives. At least for some of us it is.
the point that has been missed... is.. it was flagrant use of expensive government privilege..during TIMES OF AUSTERITY.
It speaks volumes of his lack of projecting image and his total lack of guile.
He could have made the game, on his own. Or foregone it... because..as an elected official.... HE HAD A GREATER RESPONSIBILITY!!!
I am sure many in Jersey will remember this when they need to fill the car tank.... to make Jr's bas3e3ball game.
I understand Dave and agree that this is how government officials behave. The post is up because Gov. Christie was hacking away at NJ teachers tenure, refused a transportation project, blaming the dire fiscal situation in NJ. What he did was symbolically tone deaf.
<a href="http://moneywatch.bnet.com/economic-news/blog/macro-view/nj-governor-christie-agrees-to-fund-indoor-ski-jump-while-state-jobs-sink/3451/From CBS Money Watch:
"The economy of New Jersey is in bad shape. The state pension plans are badly underfunded, and unemployment is high. Garden State governor Chris Christie is waging a battle to reform the state’s finances on many fronts, wanting to cut back the public sector and canceling a big transportation project that might have created many jobs. But at the same time he’s asking the state’s workers to economize, Governor Christie is giving away hundreds of millions to real estate developers on a chronically failed shopping mall. Who pay those taxes, anyway? Governor Christie, and his comrades of reforming state politicians all over, need to stay sensible, proportionate and fair.
From the start of his term about a year ago, Governor Christie has been saying he wants to cut, cut, cut — that government is too big and taxes too high."
kid,
agreed. The righties are the first to get their undies in a twist when the president goes on a domestic or foreign policy trip, forgetting that most of these are planned years and months in advance.
Sue,
Agreed. He's not going to be the president.
Charlene,
Yes.
Billy P.,
The people of NJ bought a bully and now regret it.
just a girl,
"both sides do it?" Really? But the GOP always maintain that they're better than the Dems and they DON'T do it.
My post is about hypocrisy. People like Christi claim that they want to STOP THE SPENDING and be fiscally responsible and then act like potentates.
That's the point.
Dave said: "A bad political judgement? Yep, just like the haircut on the Tarmac for Clinton. Evidence of government corruption, nope."
I disagree. Extravagant waste on perks like this IS corruption. And that other government officials do this is no excuse.
OKjimm's got it right too.
I think every parent should be involved in their kids lives and "just a girl" is absolutely correct on that one!
I just wonder how many parents couldn't get to their kids games because they work a second job because of NJ budget cuts?
Dave is right also, but the reality is when you go on and on about how unions waste money, teachers waste money and it seems like everything that gets a dime from NJ is a waste of money...except when the governor uses the new police helicopter to make it to his kids game.
Pretty poor decision on the part of the governor...considering he knew what he was getting into and what would happen once he put his plans in place....either he has poor public relations or he doesn't care what the public thinks.
Use of an official vehicle should be for official purposes. Yes, there could easily be reasons why a Governor would legitimately use a helicopter for official business. But this was personal.
"Governor Christie is giving away hundreds of millions to real estate developers on a chronically failed shopping mall."
How much exactly is this?
And are you sure it's not a tax break, which isn't giving away anything? I do often see subsidies (a government handout) confused with tax breaks (the government choosing to plunder less of what you own).
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