Christie racked up 82594 bill at sports stadium – Politico

Chris Christie racked up an $82,594 bill from the concessions operator at MetLife Stadium during the 2010 and 2011 football seasons, the New Jersey Watchdog reported on Monday as part of a broader look at how the New Jersey governor spent $360,000 of his state allowance over five years.

Christie spent $300,000 of that amount on food and alcohol, the report said, pointing to the stadium bill as the most notable spending spree.

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The governor used a debit card on 58 occasions to pay Delaware North Sportservice, which handles concessions operations at MetLife Stadium during New York Giants and Jets games, according to the report.

It noted that according to the state budget, the governor receives $95,000 a year in expense advances, which is characterized as “an allowance of funds not otherwise appropriated and used for official receptions on behalf of the state, the operation of an official residence, for other expenses.”

The Associated Press also reported last week about the use of public money for expenses associated with the luxury boxes. Both reports note that the New Jersey Republican State Committee later reimbursed the expenses.

A Christie spokesman defended the expenses, including the concessions, which the New Jersey Watchdog report said did not come with any receipts, business reasons or names of individuals who benefited from the spending allowance.

“The official nature and business purpose of the event remains the case regardless of whether the event is at the State House, Drumthwacket or a sporting venue,” Christie’s press secretary, Kevin Roberts, said in a statement.

While in New Hampshire on Friday, Christie defended the prior use of state funds and his later decision to have the state’s Republican Party reimburse the money.

“I think it’s completely justifiable to use the discretionary funds, but quite frankly in today’s world where everything is kind of twisted and turned to look like it’s something wrong when it isn’t, I just said in 2012 to my folks: Listen, let’s just have the state party pay for this,” Christie said.

The Republican presidential contender has often suffered unwelcome reports about his weight, and underwent a then-secret weight-loss surgery in early 2013.

The New Jersey Watchdog report says Christie’s grocery bill shrank after the surgery. Christie bought $64,687 in groceries in the 38 months leading up to the medical procedure and then spent only $31,236 during the 26 months after the operation.