The New Jersey Republican party forked over the $1,232.29 it cost the state to fly Governor Chris Christie in a helicopter to his son's high school baseball game on Tuesday, saying "the check has already been delivered." Christie will also pay $919.20 for a different trip to a baseball game last Friday. Christie fielded a swarm of bad press when an intrepid citizen journalist in Wood-Ridge snapped a slideshow's worth of photos showing Christie swooping down onto the field in a state trooper chopper. Designed for "law enforcement, emergency medical transportation and homeland security duties," the brand new helicopter joined the state's fleet on May 4 at the cost of $12.5 million to tax payers. The party-sponsored reimbursement contradicts Christie's office refusal to pay on Wednesday. "The governor does not reimburse for security and travel," a spokesman told the Star-Ledger. "The use of air travel has been extremely limited and appropriate." On the other hand, technically the statement holds: looks like the party, not Christie, is doing most of the reimbursing.

Want to add to this story? Let us know in comments. You can share ideas for stories on the Open Wire.
Adam Clark Estes