Lagerkvist: Christie's security expenses hit $1.7M, details remain secret

Christie’s security travel costs hit $1.77 million; how most was spent remains a mystery

The travel costs of the governor’s security detail soared last year with Chris Christie’s presidential ambitions, but details of how the taxpayers’ money was spent remain a state secret.

Of the nearly $614,000 spent on travel in 2015 by the State Police Executive Protection Unit, $545,000 was charged to American Express cards issued to the governor’s office. Citing concerns for Christie’s safety, the state has refused to release the Amex statements that list food, lodging, transportation and incidental expenses for out-of-state trips.

Overall, EPU expenses totaled nearly $1.77 million for Christie’s first six years as New Jersey governor. More than 85 percent – or $1.52 million – was charged to state Amex accounts, effectively exempt from outside scrutiny.

A NJ Spotlight analysis of internal administration documents, obtained through Open Public Records Act requests, illustrate how the EPU travel costs increased year-by-year as Christie pursued his political fortunes outside of New Jersey:

2010 – $64,975: Security travel expenses during Christie’s first year as governor were roughly one-tenth of the 2015 total.

2011 – $129,842: EPU expenses double as Christie starts to get national attention.

2012 – $248,277: Costs double again as Christie’s political star continues to rise, culminating in his keynote speech at the Republican National Convention and campaign appearances for Mitt Romney.

2013 – $220,355: Christie’s out-of-state trips decrease slightly as he campaigns in New Jersey for re-election as governor.

2014 – $492,420: As chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Christie journeys extensively to help raise $106 million in political contributions. While RGA pays for Christie’s expenses, taxpayers are stuck with the EPU bills.

2015 – $613,693: More than $340,000 in EPU travel costs are racked up after June 30, the date Christie officially declared his candidacy for president. During 2015, Christie traveled outside the state for all or part of 261 days.

The complete story and supporting documents are online at NJ Spotlight – http://www.njspotlight.com/stories/16/03/13/christie-s-security-travel-costs-hit-1-77m-how-most-was-spent-remains-mystery/

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Mark Lagerkvist is a veteran investigative reporter who has worked for CNBC, News 12, Asbury Park Press, New Jersey Watchdog and other newspaper, television and online news outlets. His work has won more than 60 journalism awards, including honors from National Press Club, Scripps Howard Foundation, and Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE). He can be reached at Mark@Lagerkvist.net.

NJ Watchdog: Christie shoots from hip but wounds credibility

Chris Christie has never been one to mince words. The New Jersey governor says what he thinks, but it’s not clear if he thought about what he said.

Last week, Christie interrupted his run for the White House long enough to criticize legislators for not paying enough attention to state business. Last month, he warned Hillary Clinton that he plans to grill her about emails in a debate, overlooking his own legal issues. Finally, the portly governor ordered the leader of the New Jersey National Guard to lose weight.

Let’s take it from the top. Christie last week blasted the New Jersey Assembly for not focusing on legislative matters.

“The fact is they don’t want to interrupt their precious campaign time for a minute,” he told a breakfast meeting of business leaders in Hanover.

Later that morning, the governor boarded a plane to Iowa in pursuit of his presidential ambitions. So far this year, Christie has traveled out-of-state on at least 145 days. Yet to hear him tell it, he’s the only one minding the Statehouse.

“I’m the Maytag repairman,” said Christie. “Sit in my office in Trenton, all alone.”

The New Jersey governor likes to shoot from the hip – but those shots often ricochet back to wound his credibility.

While most of the Assembly’s 80 members seek re-election in November, they can generally be found in their legislative districts. Meanwhile, Christie is fixated on New Hampshire, where he plans to hold 100 town meetings before the February primary.

To add injury to insult, New Jersey taxpayers have spent more than $1.3 million for the travel costs of the state police troopers who accompany Christie on his trips away from the Garden State.

The complete story is online at http://watchdog.org/240912/christie-credibility/.

NJ Watchdog: Citizen groups sue Christie over campaign security costs

Three citizen groups are suing Chris Christie in an effort to stop the New Jersey governor from using state funds to pay for the cost of security travel during out-of-state campaign trips as he runs for the White House.

New Jersey Working Families, BlueWaveNJ, New Jersey Citizen Action and six individual plaintiffs filed the suit Friday in Mercer County Superior Court. The complaint alleges Christie violated his fiduciary duty by failing to reimburse the State Treasury for the bills incurred by the state police Executive Protection Unit during his frequent political trips.

Christie press secretary Kevin Roberts did not respond Friday afternoon to a request for comment.

EPU travel costs have soared with Christie’s political ambitions, totaling $1.3 million since he took office in 2010, according to New Jersey Watchdog’s analysis of documents obtained through the Open Public Records Act.

Overall, more than $1.1 million in travel costs were charged to American Express cards issued to the governor’s office. But Christie refused to release the Amex statements or other accounts of the expenditures.

Earlier this month, a court decided Christie can hide those records from the public. Based on secret evidence, Judge Mary C. Jacobson ruled that details of past expenses for food, lodging and transportation requested by New Jersey Watchdog could create a potential security risk for the governor in the future.

The full story is online at http://watchdog.org/234983/christie-campaign-security-costs/.

Letter: For Those That Can't Reach Gov. Christie Call The Lt. Gov

The expressed opinions or views of this letter does not necessarily represent the opinion of the MiddletownMike blog:

Dear Editor,

It is unclear when the Chris Christie Presidential Wannabe Magical Mystery Tour will end, spending taxpayer money all around the country, but refusing to provide the citizens of our state with any sort of accounting to explain how our money has been spent. The court battles to keep these records secret have also been at taxpayer expense.

Many citizens have questions for Governor-turned-Dictator Chris Christie, but with him travelling out-of-state all the time in his megalomaniacal fantasy to become U.S. President, they simply can’t reach him.

Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno carries a cell phone and tells business people to call it if they have problems with red tape or otherwise need her assistance to use it. I believe we should share that number with the Sandy families Christie has abandoned and anyone else who has questions for his administration. Call 609-575-8111.



Eric Hafner
Toms River

NJ Watchdog sues Christie to disclose $800,000 in credit card records

A New Jersey Watchdog reporter is suing Gov. Chris Christie for records of nearly $800,000 in expenses charged to American Express credit cards for the travel costs of the governor’s state police security detail.

The public records lawsuit was filed Friday in Mercer County Superior Court.

Christie’s staff denied the reporter’s requests for the monthly statements and related documents, arguing that release of details on past charges would jeopardize the governor’s safety in the future.

A New Jersey Watchdog investigation found the travel expenses of the Executive Protection Unit are 18 times higher than when Christie took office. Much of the increase is attributed to Christie’s frequent out-of-state trips as he pursues his political ambitions and a likely run for the White House.

The bills totaled almost $1 million during Christie’s first four years and nine months as governor. More than 80 percent were charged to Amex cards used by the governor’s office, which later sought reimbursement from the state police.

Last year, Christie traveled outside New Jersey on more than 100 days while visiting 36 states, Mexico and Canada. Wherever the governor travels for whatever reason – whether funded by political groups, supporters or others – he is accompanied by an EPU security detail at state expense.

The full report is online at http://watchdog.org/203074/watchdog-sues-christie-records/.