How would that make it proper?
Explain.
If you did any research on the topic, you would find they are using these new helicopters regularly to get the pilots more familiar with them. The trip location doesn't matter so much as getting the flight time for the pilots. That was just one reason given in articles if you were to look for yourself. There are others.
Read all that.
How would that make it proper?
Explain.
NJ governor reimburses state for chopper flights
By BETH DeFALCO, Associated Press Beth Defalco, Associated Press – 7 mins ago
TRENTON, N.J. – After taking a beating for more than a day, Gov. Chris Christie agreed Thursday to reimburse the state for personal use of a police helicopter to fly to two of his son's high school baseball games and a political dinner with GOP donors.
But the governor, revered among Republicans for his hard-charging, budget-cutting ways and reviled among many Democrats for the same traits, made no apologies for what called an effort to be a good father.
Christie, often mentioned as a potential 2012 presidential candidate, said he paid $2,100 and asked the state Republican Party to pay $1,200 to cover the costs — not because he believed he was in the wrong, but because the furor had become a distraction from serious matters.
"I want to make sure the public understands that I'm doing this because of the duty I feel to them to have my attention and everyone else's attention focused 100 percent on the real problems of this state," he said, "not the political theater and media theater that people enjoy at times."
"I also understand this is a really fun media story for all of you," he told reporters at a bill signing ceremony in Denville.
He said he had been assured by the State Police that he did not have to reimburse the state for the personal flights because the pilots needed to log the flying hours anyway to keep their skills sharp. And he said he chose to fly to his son's ballgames as a way of balancing his role as governor because there was no other way to get there in time.
"We tried to balance me being governor, and my demands on that, with my responsibility as a father," Christie said during a bill signing in Denville. "I'm governor 24-7, every single day, but I'm also a father. And the fact of the matter is, sometimes when you are governor, you do not control your schedule."
Christie's reversal came a day after a spokesman said the governor would not make a reimbursement, defending the trips as appropriate.
The conflict started Tuesday night when Christie flew about 70 miles from the Statehouse to Montvale in a month-old $12.5 million helicopter to watch his oldest son, Andrew, start as catcher — a position Christie also played in high school — for Delbarton, a private Catholic prep school.
Christie was joined by his wife, Mary Pat, at the game. Afterward, they flew the 75 miles to the official governor's mansion in Princeton for dinner with a group of top GOP campaign contributors. The donors, from Iowa, tried unsuccessfully to persuade Christie to run for president.
A list released by Christie's office on Thursday also showed that the governor used the helicopter Friday to fly to another one of his son's games.
Christie is paying for two flights and the GOP is paying for the flight to meet with campaign donors because the meeting was political, he said.
A list released by Christie's office Thursday shows that he used the helicopter 33 times since becoming governor in January 2010. The most common use was for trips to New York City, which were made on nine occasions — including two for media interviews.
When done by car, it can be disruptive because troopers shut the Lincoln Tunnel to other traffic for security reasons.
Christie's turnabout comes after criticism from Democrats, who said they would call a hearing to look into the governor's use of the helicopter, which is part of a fleet also used by State Police to respond to medical and other emergencies.
"Chris Christie has now taken his arrogance to the next level," said state Democratic Party chairman John Wisniewski.
But Christie has used a helicopter less than other New Jersey governors, such as Jim McGreevey, who took 272 flights during his first 10 months in office, including 14 non-governmental trips. The Democratic Party reimbursed the state $18,200 for those trips after it hit the news.
Monmouth University political scientist Patrick Murray said Christie erred politically by not being contrite sooner after the issue started making headlines, saying his explanation may fall short with the public.
"I think that the parent thing would work if there weren't the other images surrounding it," Murray said, referring to the presidential-bid meeting after the game.
But University of Virginia political science professor Larry Sabato said the flap wouldn't damage Christie among his national Republican following.
"Republicans are so keen on Christie that this didn't bother them in the first place," he said.
___
Associated Press writers Angela Delli Santi in Trenton, Josh Lederman in Denville and Geoff Mulvihill in Haddonfield contributed to this report.
Since crookshanks emphasized McGreevey's helicopter use, she thinks Christie's use was also improper.
OK.
I'm glad he did the right thing and reimbursed the police.
Are the two situations related? In what way? were they new helicopters flying anyway, with or without a passenger?
Did a quick search.
277 times in the first year vs. 35 times total for Christie. Those 277 times were with choppers already in service, not being flown for required pilot familiarization time by the FAA.
She made the connection. Ask her.
I'm glad he reimbursed the police after using their helicopter for his own personal taxi.
Are you?
Yes or no.
They still have to be flown regularly, do they not?
Yes or no.
I'm glad they were reimbursed for those flights. I hope Christie does the same for all his flights.
I'm not going to write your term paper. i have better things to do. if you don't understand the facts, or are biased against the truth. Why should I waste my time?
The facts are there. Deal with it.
I already did.
It was an improper use of a police helicopter. I'm glad the police were reimbursed.
Are you glad they were reimbursed?
Yes or no.
We disagree.
It's a yes or no question.
Are you glad they were reimbursed?
Yes or no.
Christie has essentially conceded that he was wrong by reimbursing the police, yet WildIdiot still thinks it was a legitimate expenditure…
Do you need any more proof that WC is brainwashed? All Tea Baggers are... Pathetic.
http://blog.nj.com/njv_editorial_pag...or_choppe.html
If you want a chopper to ferry you around, pay for it or submit a budget for it.
It's simple.
Amazing how partisan people can be here on something so clearly an abuse of power. LOL @ paying for it after being shamed into it. No surprise that saving money applies to everyone but him though.
If that's all your mind can grasp. Who am i to try to make you see clearly.
Did Barry ever pay back the hundred of thousand of dollars he spent on Date night to NYC. You remember, the air force one flight, limo, chopper.....He pulled no stops that night on the tax payer. He had to pay that money back. What am I thinking for asking such a silly question.
And anything else is improper.
Budgeted.
Next.
I'm glad he ponied up. McGreevey was an asshole too, and he paid.
Now if we have to start comparing Christie with Obama, McGreevey or Corzine, then what is it exactly that's 'great' about this guy?
It's ok... He's just like Obama...
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/201...reimburse.html
It's great that he was so willing to pay for the helicopter ride from the get-go.
"The governor does not reimburse for security and travel," a spokesman for the governor, Kevin Roberts, said in an e-mail message. "The use of air travel has been extremely limited and appropriate."
The State Police said the flight taken by Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, had presented "no additional cost to taxpayers."
Yeah, they were trying to spin it like if he didn't travel the chopper would have been flown anyways. Which could be true, but doesn't take away from the fact that he was using state property for personal matters."The governor does not reimburse for security and travel," a spokesman for the governor, Kevin Roberts, said in an e-mail message. "The use of air travel has been extremely limited and appropriate."
The State Police said the flight taken by Christie and his wife, Mary Pat, had presented "no additional cost to taxpayers."
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