Chris Christie may be facing scrutiny from the “Bridgegate” scandal and a possible impeachment, but a new investigation into his office just might be the straw to break the camel’s back.
The New Jersey governor is now under the eye of federal officials as they determine whether he used Hurricane Sandy relief funds improperly when he produced tourism ads for the Jersey Shore starring his family.
The campaign, which amounted to $25 million, came at the time when Christie was running for re-election as governor. In August, U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) wrote a letter to the Department of Housing and Urban Development inspector general about his suspicions regarding the bidding process.
According to Business Insider:
The winning firm charged about $2 million more to produce the ad campaign than the closest competitor. The firm that was awarded the bid planned to feature Christie in its ads. The losing bidder did not.
Pallone told CNN that a preliminary review by the inspector general determined that a full investigation was needed.
“This was money that could have directly been used for Sandy recovery. And, as you know, many of my constituents still haven’t gotten the money that is owed them to rebuild their homes or raise their homes or to help,” Pallone said.
Christie’s office did not immediately respond when asked about the investigation. His office is currently battling an investigation by state lawmakers into the closure of lanes onto the George Washington Bridge from Fort Lee, N.J., last September.
We’ll keep you updated on the latest in Christie’s political drama.
SOURCE: Business Insider | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
