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Christie Repays New Jersey for 2 Chopper Flights

But he dismisses controversy as 'political theater'

By Matt Cantor,  Newser Staff

Posted Jun 2, 2011 4:52 PM CDT

(Newser) – After drawing national attention for a helicopter ride to his son’s baseball game, New Jersey’s Chris Christie will reimburse the state for that trip and a second similar one, the Star-Ledger reports. But he still thinks the whole mess is "political theater" dredged up by the media. The bills:

  • Christie will reimburse the state $1,232.30 for Tuesday's trip and another $919.20 for a previously undisclosed trip on Friday.
  • The state GOP will reimburse the state $1,232.29 for the trip from Tuesday's game to a political function.

Christie said he is doing so to focus on the state's real problems "and not the political theater and media theater that people enjoy at times,” reports ABC. “I’m governor 24/7, every single day. But I’m also a father. And the fact of the matter is sometimes when you’re governor, you do not control your schedule,” he added. “And so, if you want to try to do all the things that people want you to do as governor and also be a father ... there are times when it is literally impossible to do that by car, and two of those instances came up in the last week.” State Police say that the choppers would have been flying anyway and that Christie's trips cost nothing extra.

In this May 31 photo, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, exits a state helicopter to attend his son's high school baseball game in Montvale, N.J.
In this May 31 photo, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, right, exits a state helicopter to attend his son's high school baseball game in Montvale, N.J.   (AP Photo/PATCH.com, Christopher Costa)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 23 comments
vendetta
Jun 3, 2011 11:13 AM CDT
Too little too late.
SilenceDogood
Jun 3, 2011 4:55 AM CDT
After reading the vitriol from the Lefties I find it so amusing that they kick a Conservative so quickly and give a passes for Liberals. You shallow asses slam Christy for a chopper ride he is paying for; but I hear no screams of Foul Play when your Party gives waivers worth hundreds of millions to favorite companies for Obamacare; when the Obama Stimulus Bill cost $540,000 for each job; when unemployment is still precipitously high even when we had a promise Obama would work to control it; Bernanke is printing more money than has ever been injected in our economy and inflation is rearing its ugly head. Are you people asleep or just plain stupid.
Spudsy
Jun 2, 2011 8:55 PM CDT
Christie wins this one on playing the father card.  We must let our politicians also be good family men or women. If his schedule truly did not allow time for a drive to his sons game, then yes, the taxpayers get to pay for the chopper ride.  If we demand that our politicians forsake their duty to raise a good family then we will only have mean heartless bastards as politicians. (do not insert GOP joke here) I am a left leaning indy that would never vote for this fellow but I give him kudos for making his sons game.  Sorry NJ taxpayers, but the chopper cost is a drop in the bucket in the scheme of things if this is the man you believe can fix your state. 
Politics • US

 
New Jersey • helicopter • governor • reimbursement • Chris Christie

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