June 04, 2016
The failed campaign of Gov. Chris Christie for the Republican nomination as president has a silver lining for taxpayers: The cost of his traveling security detail plunged, cut in half the month after he dropped out.
NJ.com reports the State Police's Executive Protection Unit, the governor's security detail, billed the state $33,315 in March — down from nearly $58,000 the previous month.
The unit spent $170,116 in the first three months of the year.
New Jerseyans have shelled out at least $2 million since Christie took office to cover out-of-state travel for the security detail.
That includes the at least $614,000 paid last year when the governor spent a majority of the year outside of the state trying to sell his candidacy.
The cost does not count overtime hours for the detail, which is kept secret by law.
Expenses included hotel and restaurant bills, and in some states travel in taxpayer-funded SUVs from one campaign event to the next.
Out-of-state campaigning, plus travel related to his role as chairman of the Republican Governors Association, meant Christie spent 261 partial or full days traveling outside of New Jersey in 2015 — 72 percent of the year.
In his typical combative style, Christie has argued partial days to nearby states such as Pennsylvania and New York should not count.
But that still adds up to 190 days out of state last year – more than half the year.
Taxpayers continue to foot the bill for the security unit's travel as Christie continues on the 2016 campaign trail, this time for presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump.
To read the entire NJ.com story, click here.
