Most governors couldn’t get caught in a brouhaha like the one surrounding Gov. Chris Christie, because New Jersey is one of only a handful of states with a state-owned vacation home for its chief executive.
A look at the home and others like it around the U.S.:
NEW JERSEY
Christie was criticized for sunning himself with his family at Island Beach State Park, which was closed to the public because the Republican initiated a government shutdown.
Christie defended his use of the beach, saying he had previously announced his vacation plans and the media had simply “caught a politician keeping his word.” He says he wasn’t using any additional state services this weekend beyond the governor’s Ocean House – a five-bedroom, three-bathroom home hidden behind greenery along the park’s main road.