New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spent $300,000 of a government state allowance over five years in office to buy food, alcoholic drinks and desserts, according to a new analysis of state records.
In addition to his $175,000 salary, Christie receives $95,000 a year for purposes vaguely defined in the state budget for official purposes like state receptions, operating an official residence, or other expenses.
And numbers published by local website New Jersey Watchdog show Christie, a Republican presidential hopeful, took full advantage of the stipend over his five years as governor. He spent $76,373 during 53 shopping runs at Wegmans Food Markets, and $11,971 in purchases at ShopRite supermarkets during 51 visits, in addition to another $6,536 in seven visits to ShopRite’s liquor stores. The site is published by the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity.
All the food purchases were for official purposes, an aide in Christie’s office said, including receptions and general upkeep at the governor’s mansion.
See Chris Christie's Life in Photos
Chris Christie as an infant in 1963.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieThe Christie family, from left to right, Todd, Dawn, and Chris, with mom, Sondra in an undated photo.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieThe Christie family, from left to right, Dawn, Todd and Chris, with mom, Sondra and dad, Bill in Singer Island, Fla., in 1974.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieAn undated photo of Chris Christie, who played catcher for the Livingston High School varsity baseball team.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieChris Christie's senior class photo and profile from Livingston High School's yearbook in 1980.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieLivingston High School's yearbook profile on Chris Christie in 1980.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieAn early photo of Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat where the couple met at the University of Delaware.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieChris Christie and Mary Pat on their wedding day in 1986.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieChris Christie, left, is sworn as freeholder, by Senator Joseph Kyrillos, Jr., as Christie’s wife Mary Pat holds the bible and their son Andrew during the Morris County Board of Freeholders reorganization meeting in Morristown, N.J. Patti Sapone—Star-LedgerThe Governor Chris Christie and his family in 1994.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieChris Christie and his wife Mary Pat at the inauguration of former president George W. Bush in Washington on Jan. 20, 2001.Courtesy of Governor Chris ChristieChris Christie, center, answers a question on the steps of U.S. District Courthouse in Newark, N.J. on Aug. 13, 2003.Mike Derer—APNew Jersey Republican nominee for Governor Chris Christie (C) and his running mate Sheriff Kim Guadagno (L) make some phone calls to voters at Monmouth County Republican Headquarters in Freehold, N.J. on Nov. 2, 2009.Hiroko Masuike—Getty ImagesNew Jersey Governor-elect Chris Christie and wife Mary Pat wave to election-night supporters at Christie's victory celebration in Parsippany, N.J. on Nov. 3, 2009.Stephen Chernin—Getty ImagesGovernor Chris Christie spends time with his daughter Bridget during Take Our Kids to Work Day in Trenton, N.J. on April 22, 2010. Matt Rainey—Star-LedgerTalk-show host Oprah Winfrey poses with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, during a live broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Sept. 24, 2010, in Chicago.Harpo Productions/APNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie lays a white rose on wreckage pulled from Ground Zero during the memorial dedication to the Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park on Sept. 10, 2011 in Jersey City, N.J.Andrew Burton—Getty ImagesNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, center, touches the stones of the Western Wall during his visit to Jerusalem's old city, April 2, 2012. Sebastian Scheiner—APPresident Barack Obama tours 1 World Trade Center with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, center, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, in New York City on, June 14, 2012.Doug Mills—The New York Times/ReduxNew Jersey Gov. Chris Christie kisses his wife, Mary Pat, at an appearance with the Michigan delegation at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 28, 2012.Max Whittaker—The New York Times/ReduxNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla, on Aug. 28, 2012.Stan Honda—AFP/Getty ImagesMitt Romney, Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Bob White, left, a Romney adviser, on Romney's campaign bus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Oct. 10, 2012. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/ReduxGovernor Chris Christie, Seth Meyers on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update on Nov. 11, 2012.NBC/Getty ImagesGovernor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama hold a press conference after taking an ariel tour of the damage in New Jersey from Hurricane Sandy and and talking to residents in Brigantine, N.J. on Oct. 31, 2012. Tim Larsen—Governor's OfficeNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie comforts Kerri Berean whose home was damaged by Hurricane Sandy in Little Ferry, N.J., on Nov. 3, 2012.Tim Larsen—Governor's Office/ReutersNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie appeared on "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012," which aired Dec. 12, 2012.Ida Mae Astute—ABC/Getty ImagesNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie departs after giving his State of the State address in the assembly chamber in Trenton, N.J. on Jan. 8, 2013. Christie renewed his calls to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday to quickly pass the full $60.4 billion Superstorm Sandy relief package, saying victims in New Jersey had been short-changed. Carlo Allegri—ReutersGov. Chris Christie fixes his tie in his offfice before delivering his State Of The State address at the Statehouse, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, in Trenton, N.J.Edward Keating—Contact for TIMEUS President Barack Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (L) walk along the boardwalk as they view rebuilding efforts following last year's Hurricane Sandy in Point Pleasant, N.J. on May 28, 2013. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty ImagesNew Jersey Governor Chris Christie celebrates his re-election in Asbury Park, N.J., on Nov. 5, 2013.Brooks Kraft—Corbis for TIME
During the 2010 and 2011 NFL football seasons, Christie also spent a total of $82,594 at the MetLife Stadium, where the New York’s Giants and Jets play their home games. The New Jersey Republican State Committee later reimbursed the money Christie spent at MetLife to the state.
Gov. Christie’s office said the money was used for official political functions to host dignitaries and legislators.
“Whenever the Governor hosts an event in his official capacity, the discretionary account is available to pay for those costs associated with official reception and hosting and related incidental expenses,” said Christie’s press secretary Kevin Roberts in a statement.
“Nonetheless in early 2012, the Governor made the decision that costs associated with hosting at the sporting venues were better paid with non-state funds, and those expenses incurred during 2010 and 2011 were reimbursed by the NJGOP.”
Christie every year returns leftover funds from the $95,000 allowance to the state. The amount Christie returned annually to the state increased from $2,716 in 2010 to $30,377 last year.
