Brian Snyder / Reuters
The vast majority of New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s expense account budget went to food and alcohol, according to an analysis of his ledger records by monitoring group New Jersey Watchdog. Records show shopping sprees averaging nearly $1,500 at Wegmans supermarkets, and $82,594 paid to the operator of a concession stand at MetLife Stadium. Christie gets $95,000 annually for expenses, on top of a $175,000 salary. He’s spent roughly $360,000 from that expense budget, with $300,000 going to food, drinks, and desserts.
Christie has a 35 percent approval rating among registered voters in New Jersey. This month, Port Authority executive David Wildstein, a Christie confidant and apointee, pleaded guilty to his role in Bridgegate, where local access lanes were closed in Fort Lee, New Jersey, as a means of political retribution. Christie still denies his role in closing off parts of the George Washington Bridge.
In January, New Jersey Watchdog reported Christie was withholding details of his American Express travel bills totaling more than $800,000. More recently, a state judge ruled that Christie broke the law by cutting pension payments previously promised to public employees.