TRENTON – Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buono (D-Middlesex) issued the following statement today regarding Governor Christie using the state helicopter to take a ride yesterday for strictly personal reasons:
“Governor Christie’s use of the State Police helicopter for personal and political fundraising purposes is a major breach of ethics, and possibly a violation of state and federal laws governing the use of taxpayer property and services. The governor should immediately release a full account of his use of the state helicopter since January 2010 and should direct the Attorney General to conduct an independent investigation.
“With New Jersey residents confronting high unemployment and skyrocketing property taxes, the last thing that we need is yet another politician violating the public trust and using taxpayer resources for private gain. As U.S. Attorney, Chris Christie would have investigated any local official who used a taxpayer-funded helicopter to attend a political fundraising meeting. The same standard should apply to the governor. No one is above the law.”