Governor Christie Takes State Helicopter To Son's Baseball Game

[kpete]

Source: ABC

Governor Christie Takes State Helicopter To Son's Baseball Game
June 01, 2011 7:52 AM

Blunt-talking New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who has made ethics and government reform a centerpiece of his Administration, raised some eyebrows yesterday with his decision to take a state helicopter to his son's baseball game yesterday afternoon. Moreover, he left the game in the fifth inning, presumably to make it back to Princeton for his meeting with a group of Iowa activists who had flown to New Jersey to try to convince the governor to run for president.

According to the Newark Star Ledger the Governor landed in the $12.5 million helicopter right before the game began, and then "got into a black car with tinted windows that drove him about a 100 yards to the baseball field" His son Andrew is the starting catcher on his high school team.

Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie took in a few innings of play but left during the 5th inning. " During a pitching change," reported the Star Ledger, "play was stopped for a couple of minutes while the helicopter took off."


Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2011/06/governor-christie-takes-state-helicopter-to-sons-baseball-game.html

[sinkingfeeling]

1. Well, he can always lower the income cap for the poor to receive Medicaid to pay for it.

[nonperson]

39. Or end property tax relief for seniors. Or end school meals programs.

Or close libraries. Or make cuts so deep they affect essential services like police and fire by causing massive layoffs. Or give a tax break to millionaires. All of which he has done, and so much more it's difficult to keep track, in only his first sixteen months in office.

A disgusting glutton who thinks he was elected king instead of governor. This is exactly what everyone can expect from greedy, lying Republicans. KING CRISCO.

[madmom]

2. He had to ride 100 yards?? No wonder he's a fat fuck. I know I will

probably be flamed for this, but come on get real. I am exceedingly over weight myself, but I would never feel the need to ride 100 yards. That's the length of a football field for crying out loud.:puke:

[KeepItReal]

7. He had to pay for that black limo to be there for a 200yd round trip

Think about the waste in that too.

[semillama]

17. I was surprised to see that, actually.

I always assumed he used suspensor belts to haul his carcass around, like Baron Harkonnen in "Dune."

[Enrique]

19. Christie can get as large as he likes

the rest of us have to tighten our belts.

[BeliQueen]

25. Exactly.

You're exactly right.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. So, is he that fattest hypocrite in the repuke party?

[shoeless]

34. Yeah.here is the runnerup.

Gov. Paul LePage (R-ME)

[butterfly77]

40. They are tied..

in my book..

[Doctor_J]

4. If he were a Dem he'd have to resign by the end of the week

That fat fuck is the biggest hypocrite of the bunch.

[Pab Sungenis]

22. Or the Fed Prosecutor would have tried to indict him for corruption.

Of course now that the Fed Prosecutor who pushed all those bullshit cases against Democratic politicians is the Republican Governor lapping at the public trough....

[FailureToCommunicate]

5. I feel (slightly) bad for the son. He'll need a boatload of $ for the shrink bills

later in life...

[Swagman]

12. his son was probably embarrased to hell..I'm sure the other kids

would have sent him up

[russspeakeasy]

16. his dad's health care will pay for it.

[FailureToCommunicate]

26. Felt bad for...two seconds. Then realized how wrong it is that

antics of the wealthy and powerful get rubbed in our faces - by the media- around the clock...

[tomm2thumbs]

6. $12.5 million Air Limo with Police Crew & Support Staff & Game Was Stopped for It

I'd be one embarrassed child if that were my father, even more now if he can't even walk across the grass to get to his seat without getting in a sweat

Poor kid

[rfranklin]

14. If you think that, think again...

At his private school this will be a huge boost in prestige. What other father gets to helicopter in to watch a few innings? I live a short distance from the school and ride my bicycle on the same road that they use to get to the back entrance of the 200 acre campus. These kids are driving BMWs to school.

[katnapped]

8. But don't forget...

It's only DEMOCRATS that waste money on stuff like that. If you're a Republican it's a necessary expense!

:sarcasm:

[SoapBox]

9. ...jackass.

And that says that.

[No Elephants]

10. I can barely wait to see how Geist (Way Too Early) and Scarborough spin this tomorrow.

Scarborough in particular has been drooling over Christie since "Mr. Costcutter" took office.

Did y'all read why he left the game early, after costing taxpayers a bundle to get him there?


"Moreover, he left the game in the fifth inning, presumably to make it back to Princeton for his meeting with a group of Iowa activists who had flown to New Jersey to try to convince the governor to run for president."


Aside from using the copter, this was an afternoon game, followed by a meeting on his personal issues. I never realized Governor was such a part time job.

Why wasn't he working on the state's business? How much of the time he is supposed to be working is spent on things like this--and why is it the state's responsibility to ferry him by helicopter + limo when he isn't even working on state business?

[katnapped]

11. I already know the script

Something about some "evil leftist plot" to smear him, or something like that.

Of course if you saw the Obamas do the same thing, they on the right would be spitting nails.

[rfranklin]

15. No, it will be about what a devoted family man he is...

how can you deny a proud, supportive father?

[shoeless]

33. Simple. They'll just ignore it.

[alp227]

13. conservatism=i've got mine, screw everyone else. he doesn't live in gov mansion also

Wikipedia: "He resides in Mendham, New Jersey, having chosen not to move his family into Drumthwacket, the official governor's mansion."

Oh, not to mention how Christie needed the STATE SUPREME COURT to tell him to fund schools properly.

Why he'd disrupt his son's baseball game like that, it's just stupid. I mean, I can accept the tinted windows car for security reasons, but the helicopter is way overkill.

[Enrique]

18. another deficit hypocrite

like they all are. The Governor needs to tighten his belt, so to speak.

[FarLeftFist]

20. Austerity for you little people, socialism for the rich.

[jpak]

21. How many teachers did he to fire to pay for that?

:shrug:

[Athena66]

23. What kind of helicopter was it?

One of those heavy lift sky cranes? His ego alone would need a helicopter that big, never mind his physical size.

[nonperson]

24. Christie has a history of over-indulging on the public dime

Check out this blast from the past on Christie's travel expenses as US Attorney for New Jersey, him and his subordinate Michele Brown who Christie gave a loan and failed to claim it or pay taxes on the interest income.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/10/chris_christie_exceeded_federa.html

Chris Christie exceeded federal travel spending limits as U.S. Attorney, records show

By The Associated Press
October 13, 2009, 6:25PM

TRENTON -- The Republican candidate for New Jersey governor, who has campaigned on a platform of ethical integrity and cutting government waste, regularly spent beyond federal guidelines on business travel while U.S. attorney, records show.

The newly released travel records show that Chris Christie occasionally billed taxpayers more than $400 a night for stays in luxury hotels and exceeded the government's hotel allowance on 14 of 16 business trips he took in 2008.

"Generally, U.S. attorneys, assistant U.S. attorneys and all federal staff stay within the government rate," said Justice Department spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz. "The government rate is not a suggestion, it's a guideline."

This Michele Brown, currently Christie's "Appointments Counsel". ;)

As US Attorney Christie indicted and jailed people for less.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2009/08/gop_governor_candidate_chris_c_1.html

GOP governor candidate Chris Christie fails to report loan interest income on taxes

Published: Tuesday, August 18, 2009, 8:04 PM Updated: Wednesday, August 19, 2009, 8:11 AM
By Matt Dowling/Times of Trenton

GOP gubernatorial hopeful Chris Christie, ahead in the polls for months while riding a platform of ethical rectitude and law and order, spent most of today justifying possible legal violations involving a loan to former associate from his days as U.S. Attorney.

The Republican admitted he left the $46,000 loan off his tax returns and federal and state disclosure reports, but said these were hardly major issues in the race for the statehouse.
David Gard/ New Jersey Local News Service.New Jersey Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie during an event earlier this month.

"It was an oversight," said Christie. "My mistake."

Christie said he was amending his returns and his disclosure reports. Failure to properly report income and assets on federal disclosure reports could lead to civil or criminal penalties, according to U.S. regulations.

Chris Christie is now flying around in a helicopter. Because Chris Christie is special. He tells New Jersey taxpayers "WE'RE BROKE!" then loses billions of dollars in federal aid for New Jersey out of sheer ignorance and incompetence. He tells New Jersey taxpayers "WE'RE BROKE!" while giving millionaires a tax break and handing out $261 million in New Jersey taxpayer funds to his goombahs in Atlantic City to complete the Revel Casino. Propping up a private casino operator with taxpayer dollars in a city where the gambling revenues dropped over 6% from previous year earnings. Christie gave another $200 million tax break for that other colossal mistake New Jersey made, Xanadu, even though "WE'RE BROKE!"

Now Christie is using a state police chopper to fly around to his kid's baseball games and meet with donors from Iowa. Private and private political activities that are costing the "BROKE" taxpayers of New Jersey a small fortune to ferry the king about in the style to which he has obviously become accustomed on the public dime.

This is what the Republicans look to for a leader. A corrupt, incompetent, arrogant, heartless slob that bullies school teachers, children, the elderly, the poor, while he flies around in a $12.5 million chopper that drops him off for a 100 yard limo ride to his kid's baseball game while Christie ends things like school lunch programs for poor kids.

Chris Christie is a gluttonous, arrogant, incompetent, corrupt disgrace as a governor and as a human being.

[shoeless]

32. And that's just at lunch.

[Botany]

27. A limo for a 1 minute walk after the helicopter ride?

Way to watch the New Jersey taxpayers' dime!

[shoeless]

31. Christie has obviously never taken a 1 minute walk in his life.

[sulphurdunn]

28. Populist Feudalism

About a third of our fellow peasants are loyal vassals of these new lords of ours. Many of them would see nothing remiss in having someone drawn and quartered for speaking against the prerogatives of their betters.

[valerief]

29. Why? Because he can. He can piss away as much taxpayer money

as he wants, because he sees it as his money. Rich people money.

[shoeless]

30. Thet got off the ground in that little helicopter?

That sounds pretty dangerous with Christie in the copter. Next time I suggest they use one of those big twin blade miltary cargo helicopters.

[yellowcanine]

35. And this is the guy the Republicans are hoping will jump in and save their bacon in 2012?

:rofl:

[shoeless]

36. Sacrificial lamb

All of the prospective Republican candidates are cannon fodder for the GOP in 2012. They know they can't beat President Obama. They are keeping their powder dry, in the name of Jeb Bush, for 2016.

[nonperson]

37. Links here to previous DU post with Star-Ledger story North Jersey.com with photos

Check out these links. Interesting details. Christie did indeed use the brand new 55 foot helicopter for personal use to see his son's game, personal political use to see donors from Iowa, and former Gov. Jim McGreevey was forced to pay for using state helicopters for personal use.

WHEN IS CHRISTIE GOING TO PAY BACK THE TAXPAYERS OF NEW JERSEY FOR HIS OPULENT CHOICE TO USE A STATE POLICE HELICOPTER LIKE IT WAS HIS OWN PERSONAL FUCKING POSSESSION?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1206239&mesg_id=1206239

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/05/gov_christie_arrives_at_sons_h.html

http://www.northjersey.com/news/Christie_drops_in_at_sons_baseball_game_in_Montvale.html

This is just really fucking embarrassingly conceited, shameless, selfish, corrupt and far more than poor taste from a man who is nothing more than a hippocrite screaming New Jersey is broke while he and his rich buddies live higher off the hog than ever.

Property taxes in New Jersey took a record over 7% increase last year and seniors property taxes went up close to 25% because Christie broke yet another promise and ended senior property tax relief. And here is King Crisco literally ruining everything in New Jersey from education to essential services with draconian cuts that hurt the weakest members of our state, flying around in a chopper like he's entitled to it.

What a fucking disgrace.

[JAnthony]

43. I'm just sorta kinda wondering, New Jersey has so many

hypocritical governors in a row,

How do they do it???

Isn't there any ethical politician in the state?

[nonperson]

48. Some governors are far worse than others

There is a culture of corruption in government here but they say we're about average. Maybe it's the "Sopranos/Jersey Shore" effect. And competition for most corrupt state is much tougher with the new pack of Republican governors like Christie, Scott, Walker, Kasich, etc.

[JAnthony]

50. I have 2 think that the closet gay Governor was the best one

he actually cared for the people....just had a strange personal life of being a long term closeted gay guy

Wonder what he is doing today!

[nonperson]

53. Jim Florio was a great governor

He balanced the budget by initiating a very unpopular state income tax but everything ran like clockwork, including the pre-privatized NJ Division of Motor Vehicles and ALL the bills were paid on time including teachers' pensions. The first governor I remember stealing money from the state pension funds, because that's exactly what it was, illegal theft of those pension funds that were off limits by law, was Governor Kean. No one seems to remember but I clearly remember reading the news about Kean balancing the budget by stealing $100 million in state pension funds.

Then Florio was elected and really did straighten out the state's economy. Whitman, an abject failure as governor, defeated Florio by promising to cut the state income tax by 30%. Everyone warned that the money would have to be made up in property taxes but New Jersey was once again stupid enough to elect an incompetent, corrupt Republican demagogue. Sure enough, property taxes began to skyrocket when Whitman cut the sales tax, Whitman began privatizing everything, the Parson's Technologies takeover of the Div of Motor Vehicles was particularly disastrous, then Whitman picked up where the previous Republican governor, Kean, left off by stealing an even larger sum from the state pension funds to balance the budget she destroyed by cutting a measly 30% off the sales tax. And it's been that way ever since.

Now New Jersey is so far in the hole on the pension funds DUE TO REPUBLICAN GOVERNORS BEGINNING THE ILLEGAL PRACTICE OF STEALING MONEY FROM THE STATE PENSION FUNDS TO FILL THE HOLES IN THEIR VOODOO ECONOMICS BUDGETS, that a complete incompetent corrupt liar like Christie can blame it all on the workers and not his cohorts who caused the entire fiasco.

McGreevey did care about people and so did Corzine. Corzine wasn't the greatest at publicity but he had his head in the right place unlike Christie who told lie after lie and broke promise after promise to be elected and has done more damage in his first year than most politicians can accomplish in a lifetime.

[nonperson]

38. NJ Democrats are not happy about this. Let's see if anything comes of this:

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/democrats_continue_to_excoriat.html

Democrats continue to excoriate Gov. Christie for helicopter ride to baseball game

Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011, 1:16 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 01, 2011, 1:19 PM
By Ginger Gibson/Statehouse Bureau

TRENTON — After news surfaced that Gov. Chris Christie took a ride on a state helicopter Wednesday to attend his son's baseball game, Democratic lawmakers fired off tersely worded responses.

"If these reports are true, the governor has potentially violated the law by using public resources for private purposes," said Sen. Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex). "This is a serious breach of public trust and necessitates a full accounting of his use of government resources, particularly, the state police helicopter. The Attorney General and U.S. Attorney should demand all records of the governor's travel to ensure that he has not made a habit of using taxpayer dollars for personal or political travel."

Wednesday, Christie used a state police helicopter to fly to a baseball game in Bergen County, where his son Andrew was playing. He left the game, along with First Lady Mary Pat Christie aboard the helicopter. An hour-and-a-half later, he arrived via car at Drumthwacket, the governor's mansion in Princeton, for a meeting with a group of GOP donors from Iowa who were trying to court him to run for president in 2012.

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) chided the governor for what she called his "do as I say not as I do" attitude.

"I can’t remember how many times I had to skip political events because my children had games or school activities," Vainieri Huttle said. "Leaving in the fifth inning to meet with wealthy Iowa political donors says something about the Governor’s priorities. Perhaps his presidential courters can help him foot the bill so our taxpayers aren’t on the hook for such perks when he is calling for sacrifice.”

Other Democrats called on the governor to reimburse the state for the cost of flying the helicopter to the game.

[bigworld]

51. How's this playing out in the media and on the street, Jersey DUers?

This has got to get the regular Jersey Joe pretty upset.

[nonperson]

54. It'll take a few days

The damage will be assessed and if there is any way to let it blow over that's what will happen.

This reminds me of Christie's escape to the tropics for the massive blizzard we had over the holidays. His Lt. Governor Guadagno escaped too, ostensibly to be with her sick father. BUT BOTH OF THEM WERE OUT OF ACTION DURING A STATE OF EMERGENCY IN NJ. Then Christie compounded the massive error by lying that he was in touch with the state by phone when NO SUCH CALLS EVER HAPPENED.

The outcome? NOTHING.

Race to the Top. Christie lost $400 million through nothing more than his own sheer negligence, pigheadedness, incompetence and arrogance and what happened? NOTHING.

Christie's own top advisers and aides began a PAC that sent out letters illegally soliciting amounts they said told their donors were unlimited until an investigation was begun and the PAC suddenly closed down. But they began another similar operation the very next day! What happened? NOTHING.

There is so much more. The more I think of it the more my blood boils.

We'll see if Choppergate blows over too. I'm hoping this much arrogance and waste will really piss off some Jerseyans and King Crisco won't be waddling away from this one.

[nonperson]

56. Skirmishes beginning now

What an arrogant lying POS.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/06/christie_refuses_to_reimburse.html

Christie refuses to reimburse N.J. for traveling by helicopter to see son's baseball game

Published: Wednesday, June 01, 2011, 8:24 PM Updated: Wednesday, June 01, 2011, 9:18 PM
By Statehouse Bureau Staff

TRENTON — Facing broad criticism for flying by helicopter to watch his son’s high school baseball game in Bergen County, Gov. Chris Christie refused today to refund the state for Tuesday’s $2,500-an-hour flight.

"The governor does not reimburse for security and travel," a spokesman for the governor, Kevin Roberts, said in an e-mail message. "The use of air travel has been extremely limited and appropriate."

The State Police said the flight taken by Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, had presented "no additional cost to taxpayers."

That didn’t stop a horde of Democratic legislators — and even some conservative commentators — from denouncing the use of the helicopter by a governor who has become widely admired for his insistence on fiscal austerity.

Security and travel FOR STATE BUSINESS NOT HIS SON'S HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL GAME FOLLOWED BY PERSONAL POLITICAL MEETINGS WITH DONORS FROM IOWA.

This is egregious abuse. I hope New Jersey takes this opportunity to get another good look at the REAL Chris Christie.

[JAnthony]

41. I wonder how many NJ teachers take a few hours off to fly to

their son's baseball game. After all, NJ teachers are paid too much, right?

[shoeless]

42. Taft

The Republicans like Christie because they would love to go back the days of Pres. William Howard Taft.

[JAnthony]

44. You mean that he's a look alike, right?

He does sort of have the girth!

[One_Life_To_Give]

45. Those who fail to learn from Gov. Swift are doomed to repeat

Those who fail to learn from history Gov. Swift are doomed to repeat it.

State Police chopper ride cost no obstacle for a governor on the move

Read more: http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/archive/x886971491#ixzz1O3H9Bnwy

[closeupready]

46. There we go. Hypocrisy, thy name is Christie.

:mad:

[yurbud]

47. how exactly does a Republican make ethics reforms? By admitting they're kleptocrats?

[nonperson]

49. Lots more photos at this link:

http://photos.nj.com/star-ledger/2011/06/helicopterzip_1.html

I'll let the photos speak for themselves.

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

52. why isn't the press 24/7 on this?

this is much more egregious then the under ware photo.

[muntrv]

55. Would Chris have run faster if someone waved a Big Mac in his face?

[bobburgster]

57. Hmmm, must have missed that one on the Nightly News segment titled...

HYPOCRITE!