Chris Christie, right, uses the beach with his family and friends at the governor's summer house at Island Beach State Park, when the state park was closed to the public during a government shutdown in New Jersey. (Andrew Mills/AP)Future New Jersey governors couldn’t, like Gov. Chris Christie (R) this year, enjoy the July Fourth holiday on a state beach while it was closed to the public during a government shutdown under a proposal advancing through the Democrat-led Legislature. This year’s shutdown is mostly remembered for photos of Christie lounging on the beach at the state-owned governor’s mansion on Island Beach State Park, which he had ordered closed to the public because of the budget impasse. The governor’s beach mansion became a factor in the race to succeed him this fall.

Source: Washington Post November 23, 2017 22:41 UTC