As Christie campaigns for Romney, N.J. taxpayers foot bill for security detail

Gov. Chris Christie has come under fire for taking New Jersey State Police with him on out-of-state trips to campaign for his fellow Republicans.

He says neither he, nor the GOP, should be picking up that tab.

When Christie went to Michigan last week to rally support for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, members of the New Jersey State Police got a trip as well as part of his security detail.

Christie says he doesn’t have a say in that.

“And if I don’t have a choice and I decide to go someplace, then they gotta go. And if there’s a hotel room to be paid for, well, we don’t want them sleeping in their cars,” Christie said Tuesday

The Romney campaign has been picking up the tab on Christie’s expenses, while New Jersey taxpayers cover the cost of the state police that provide his security. It’s the same policy for all New Jersey governors whenever they travel out of state, even on vacation.

“The problem is that I get more notoriety for it,” Christie said. “It’s the nature of my personality, it’s the way it goes.”

The governor is back on the road again campaigning for Romney in Ohio.