 Christie’s office claims it has no records, emails or correspondence concerning
the trips, and that it is exempt from the rules that govern other state
officials.
“I understand that third parties did pay for some of the governor’s trips …
however, our office has not been provided with any such documents,” wrote
Christie’s chief ethics officer, Heather Taylor, in a response to a request from
New Jersey Watchdog.
New Jersey regulations require third-party organizations that fund the travel of
state officials must disclose the payment arrangements in writing. The state
agency or office is required to retain those records.
“It is my understanding that the Office of Governor is not subject to Treasury
Circular 12-14-OMB, so we do not have any records,” Taylor said.
The governor contends he is not bound by state travel rules because of memos
state budget officials sent to former governors Brendan Byrne in 1979 and
Christine Todd Whitman in 2000.
As chairman of the Republican Governors Association, Christie began a six-day
road trip Oct. 29 to campaign for GOP gubernatorial candidates running in
Tuesday’s election. His itinerary includes stops in Arizona, New Mexico,
Colorado, Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas, Wisconsin, Ohio, Georgia, Florida, South
Carolina, Illinois, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Michigan, New
Hampshire, Connecticut and Maine.
The mission also serves as a pre-cursor for Christie’s anticipated run for the
White House in 2016. It gives him opportunities to grab the spotlight, gather
support and collect political IOUs while burnishing an image as a
straight-talking leader.
But back home in New Jersey, Christie is developing a reputation as a master of
double-standards. He campaigned for governor as a champion of “open and honest
government,” yet often fights to stop the release of public records.
“Today, a new era of accountability and transparency is here,” said Christie in
his 2010 inauguration speech. “Today, change has arrived.”
[to top of second column] |
 In contrast, Christie’s administration is defending its denial of
public records requests in roughly two dozen cases filed by numerous
plaintiffs —including a New Jersey Watchdog reporter — in Mercer
County Superior Court.
Two weeks ago, Judge Mary C. Jacobson ordered the governor’s office
to provide records of air travel expenses, including costs and
itineraries. She awarded legal fees to a New Jersey Watchdog
reporter. The state has yet to turn over the documents.
Jacobson also ruled the names of hotels where Christie stayed at
taxpayers’ expense in 2012 and 2013 should be kept confidential for
security reasons.
Travel records are a particularly sensitive issue for Christie, who
talks like a cost-cutter yet acts like a big spender when someone
else is paying the bill.
For example, it cost New Jersey taxpayers $8,146 to fly Christie,
his wife and two aides to the 2013 Super Bowl in New Orleans, plus
another $7,583 for three hotel rooms, according to state records.
Before Christie took office as governor, he already had a reputation
as a high-rolling traveler.
As a U.S. Attorney, Christie was singled out by the Justice
Department’s inspector general for violating travel regulations with
excessive lodging expenses on two-thirds of his trips from 2007 to
2009.
“In terms of percentage of travel, U.S. Attorney C was the U.S.
Attorney who most often exceeded the government rate without
adequate justification,” stated the report. Christie has since
acknowledged he is U.S. Attorney C.
Rather than take a taxi during a trip to Boston, Christie
prearranged a $236 car service for a four-mile shuttle between the
airport and his hotel.
# # #
DISCLOSURE: Investigative reporter Mark Lagerkvist is the plaintiff
in Lagerkvist v. Office of Governor, MER-L-821-14 and Lagerkvist v.
Office of Governor, MER-L-1504-14 – both filed in Mercer County
Superior Court.
[This
article courtesy of
Watchdog.]
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