Chris Christie found himself in hot water this week as photos emerged of him relaxing with his family on a beach he had closed to the public.
The Island Beach State Park was closed amid a government shutdown caused by New Jersey Governor Christie’s failure to agree a budget with the Democrat-controlled legislature. A 34.7 billion dollar budget deal was eventually reached on Tuesday.
The photo, which showed Christie reclining in a chair wearing a baseball cap with shorts and T-shirt, garnered a lot of criticism online and in the press, with some accusing Christie of a ‘let them eat cake’ mentality.
As well as criticism, some couldn’t let the opportunity to fire up Photoshop pass by, resulting in some wonderful memes.
"The sea was angry that day, my friends … like an old man trying to send back soup in a deli" #beachgate #ChrisChristie pic.twitter.com/Y16PtzDDI9
— DJ-Kim 📰📉🤦🏻♂️ (@djjkim) July 3, 2017
I think we're gonna need a bigger boat! #chrischristie pic.twitter.com/qRu3simgPs
— Chrissie (@ChrissieM10) July 4, 2017
Captain!
We Beamed Up An Alien !Quick — Send it BackI Think It's Going to Blow !
Happy #July4th #chrischristie pic.twitter.com/bNXj7Kr6hc
— Wisdom Rocks (@GetWisdomDude) July 4, 2017
Life is like a few too many boxes of chocolate. #beachgate #chrischristie pic.twitter.com/bzLUdOrWVb
— Russ Alberts (@yournameisruss) July 3, 2017
From James Bond to Forrest Gump, television and film featured strongly in the pictures shared on Twitter.
"Let them eat sand." #ChrisChristie #beachgate pic.twitter.com/1UABLFGc1y
— Just Stop It (@juststopit1981) July 4, 2017
Whoops I made this by accident #ChrisChristie pic.twitter.com/okUm9Ca32r
— iNexsus (@iNexsus) July 3, 2017
Dr. No to everyone else who wants to be on the beach. #ChrisChristie pic.twitter.com/rXfIHjxyN5
— Nell Scovell (@NellSco) July 3, 2017
Heard that #ChrisChristie got a part in a movie filming over the holiday weekend on his private beach. #beachgate pic.twitter.com/H6x7J4ml9Q
— LAinNJ (@lalecouter) July 4, 2017
He also took a trip to the White House in his beach wear.
#ChrisChristie JUST IN: I think we have live images from the White House. pic.twitter.com/rjwaU4sin4
— Diego De Rossi (@realJayDJ) July 4, 2017
Defending his decision to spend time on the beach on Monday, Christie stated “I don’t apologise for it, I don’t back away from it, and I think my poll numbers show I don’t care about political optics.”
He also stated that only 11 of New Jersey’s 130 miles of beach were closed that day.
