Christie Out-Of-State Travel Expenses: Reportedly Near $500,000 This Year, And Climbing

Even as his associates could soon face indictments that could impact his already low poll numbers, Gov. Chris Christie continues to perform as though he deserves a promotion.

Christie has spent a lot of time out of state lately - to the point that taxpayers reportedly paid $492,420 for his travel costs in 2014, according to a published report.

And those costs could continue to climb as Christie continues to pursue his agenda as head of the Republican Governors Association, which compels him to travel, raise money and campaign for other members of the GOP.

He’s also sending signals that he plans to run for the Republican nomination for president in 2016, visiting early 2016 primary and caucus states such as Iowa and New Hampshire.

The report comes from a website that is part of a national chain called Watchdog.org, which targets government spending, waste and corruption. The New Jersey site is operated by prominent investigative journalist Mark Lagerkvist, a former special projects reporter at The Asbury Park Press who also worked at CNBC.

According to WNYC’s “Christie Tracker,” the governor has taken 28 out-of-state trips to political events at prominent campaign spots for would-be presidential candidates this year, including:

“Iowa (four times), New Hampshire (twice), South Florida (three times), Cleveland, Dallas, suburban Detroit, Houston, suburban Chicago, Georgia, California, Maryland, Indiana, Connecticut, South Carolina, Boston, Tallahassee, Philadelphia, New York (twice) and Washington, DC (twice).”

Indeed, Lagerkvist is suing Christie for expense records of $800,000 reportedly charged to American Express credit cards for the travel costs of the governor’s state police security detail, according to Channel 4 in New York.

Christie’s staff has denied reporter Mark Lagerkvist’s Open Records Act request for the monthly statements and related documents, according to the report.

Lagerkvist, one of the few New Jersey journalists to secure information on Christie’s travel expenses and publish them, was quoted as saying this in the Channel 4 report:

“We have a governor with political ambitions, he’s traveling a lot ... Are New Jersey taxpayers in effect subsidizing his political aspirations?”

Last year’s costs comprised nearly half of the governor’s taxpayer-funded travel expenses in his five years in office. The state Republican Party has said that it will pick up much of the rest of the governor’s travel tab.

The State Police unit has billed the state for nearly $1 million in travel expenses since the governor took office in 2010, according to NJ.com.

NJ.com also credited New Jersey Watchdog for providing the information.

The news came the same week New Jersey’s First Lady decided to quit her day job, signaling that Christie could soon announce his run for president. Christie said he plans to announce that he’s running – or not – in either May or June.

Mary Pat Christie, the managing director at Angelo, Gordon & Co. hedge fund, is leaving behind her $475,000 annual salary to “spend more time with her children,” according to app.com.

But in New Jersey, many are still waiting for the next shoe to drop in a scandal that continues to damage the governor’s reputation in his home state and may be contributing to his slide in nationwide polls.

As many as eight people could be indicted soon in the notorious Fort Lee traffic jam in September 2013 that was reportedly ordered by aides of Christie, according to any number of news sources, from NBC News to The New York Times to Esquire Magazine. Private talks with sources close to the investigation confirm those reports.

A five-day poll that surveyed more than 1,400 New Jersey residents earlier this month showed nearly two-thirds of Garden Staters believe Christie should be removed from office if it is proven he ordered the notorious Fort Lee traffic jam in September 2013.

While the poll, created by Politico.com, showed Christie’s job approval rating continued to slide from 56 percent to 38 percent, most polltakers felt the governor should be removed from office and, further, prosecuted if he gave the go-ahead in the “Bridgegate” scandal.

Related stories:

• Christie Administration Awards $250,000-Plus Contract To Brother’s Firm
• Prosecution Reportedly Closing In On Christie Administration As Governor’s Popularity Fades
• Most Say Christie Should Leave Office If Committed Crime
• Christie Going For It? Wife Quits Hedge Fund; Presidential Run Could Be Next
• Bribery Possibly Involved As ‘Bridgegate’ Indictments Could Come Soon
• WATCH: As Possible Indictments Loom, Christie Sets Presidential Announcement Timeline