Multimillionaire Democratic Governor Sticks Taxpayers with $12K Tab for Nights Out, Taylor Swift Concert
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy is one of the millions of fans who have seen Taylor Swift perform live in concert, although it was taxpayers who were left to pick up his bill.
Politico reported Monday it had obtained public records showing Murphy had spent nearly $12,000 on food and drinks at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, including a 2018 Taylor Swift concert and a hip-hop music festival in 2019.
After being questioned about such exorbitant spending, the governor’s office claimed the Democratic State Committee was supposed to pick up the tab but then refused to do so.
This meant taxpayers were left to pay the bill as part of Murphy’s $ 95,000-a-year expense account.
However, the state’s budgetary rules say these expenses are reserved for “Official Receptions, Official Residence, and Other Official Expenses” and not for “personal purposes” such as Taylor Swift concerts.
Murphy spokeswoman Jennifer Sciortino told Politico his office “had every expectation” that the Democratic State Committee would cough up the money because it “traditionally covers these costs.”
“Once it was clear that there were outstanding bills that had not been paid, the state stepped up to meet this responsibility,” Sciortino said.
“We are pursuing reimbursement from the state party for costs incurred at MetLife Stadium,” she added later.
Meanwhile, Phil Swibinski, a spokesman for the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, said in a statement that the group “had no knowledge” of an agreement to pay the said invoices.
“We are looking into the matter in order to determine whether any additional action is necessary at this time,” Swibinski said.
Politico reported the Metlife Stadium food and drink expenditures included:
• $936 at a July 2018 Taylor Swift concert during her “Reputation” tour.
• $2,095 at a September 2018 soccer game between the U.S. Men’s National Team and Brazil.
• $2,068 at a November 2018 NFL game between the New York Jets and New England Patriots.
• $1,413 in June 2019 at Hot 97’s Summer Jam, which featured Cardi B and Meek Mill.
• $2,856 at a September 2019 soccer game between the USMNT and Mexico.
• $2,479 at an October 2019 Jets game against the Dallas Cowboys.
The report said records did not show taxpayers picking up MetLife Stadium expenses after 2019.
Perhaps the most egregious aspect of Murphy’s spending spree is the ease with which he could have paid the bill himself.
The 66-year-old Democrat, who once served as former President Barack Obama’s ambassador to Germany, previously worked for Goldman Sachs, where he acquired a considerable fortune.
Although estimates vary, Murphy is widely reported to have a net worth in excess of $50 million.
He made $21 million from 2010 to 2014 and reported a personal income of $4.6 million in 2016.
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