Before New Jersey governor Chris Christie made the trek to Willie Wonka’s football factory looking like Augustus Gloop in an Oompa Loompa sweater, Christie apparently had ripped open a candy bar that included a golden gloryhole ticket.
As it turns out, Christie’s trip to Texas was bought and paid for by Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. As explained by the Wall Street Journal, Christie’s aides have defended his acceptance of the plane fare and ticket to the owner’s suite by citing a New Jersey policy that permits gifts from “relatives or personal friends that are paid for with personal funds.”
“Governor Christie attended the game [Sunday] night as a guest of Jerry Jones, who provided both the ticket and transportation at no expense to New Jersey taxpayers,” spokesman Kevin Roberts told the Wall Street Journal.
The problem for Christie comes from Jones’ business relationship with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which is controlled by Christie and New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Jones partially owns Legends Hospitality, which will operate the soon-to-be-opened observatory at the new One World Trade Center. It’s a deal that is expected to generate $875 million in revenue over 15 years.
Obviously, the appropriate people are denying that Christie had any influence over the situation. Regardless of any actual impropriety, there’s a clear appearance of potential impropriety.
The next question becomes whether Christie will continue to accept free travel and a free tickets at Cowboys games. If he thinks it’s permissible once, then it’s permissible again. Christie has said he hopes to go to the Cowboys-Packers game in Green Bay; if someone else is paying for the travel and if the ticket results in admission to the owner’s box, don’t we all?