Congressman slams 'inappropriate use of relief funds'

A US Congressman has slammed Chris Christie after an investigation was launched into the New Jersey Governor's use of relief funds for the victims of the Superstorm Sandy disaster.

"It is inappropriate for taxpayer-funded dollars that are critical to our state's recovery from this natural disaster to fund commercials that could potentially benefit a political campaign," New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone Jr., a Democrat, said in a letter requesting the investigation.

The investigation is focusing on a $25 million Jersey Shore marketing campaign which included a television advert featuring Christie and his family.

The promotional advert, with the tag line that New Jersey was "Stronger than the Storm," was broadcast in the spring as Christie headed into a re-election campaign to win a second term.

"Had Governor Christie chosen the less-expensive firm, $2.2 million in federal disaster aid could have potentially been directed elsewhere, for example, to provide 44 Sandy-impacted homeowners $50,000 grants to raise their homes," Pallone added.

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