TRENTON – PolitickerNJ.com’s report last week that Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo dips as a matter of course into his campaign funds to pay for day-to-day expenses, including golf games and dinners, caused Gov. Chris Christie today to throw an elbow at the State Legislature.

The Republican governor said he called on the Democratic-run Legislature last year to tighten campaign finance laws – to no avail.

“I’ve batted my head against the wall trying to get the Legislature to get campaign finance law (reform),” said the governor. “We’ve sent bills down there and they’ve gotten no consideration.”

Christie listed the most public offenders: DiVincenzo, state Senate President Steve Sweeney (D-3), and U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews (D-1) “and anyone else,” saying that within the current construct of campaign finance law, their excesses are not his purview. 

“If they’re operating within current law they’re operating within current law,” Christie said. “It’s up to ELEC to make a judgment.”