A recent investigation conducted by The New York Times has revealed that former New Jersey governor Chris Christie has utilized his connections to former President Donald Trump and his political standing to amass significant wealth across various business sectors, including sports betting and pharmaceuticals.
Since leaving office, Christie has been transparent about his intentions to capitalize on his experience and connections. He has engaged in lobbying efforts on behalf of hospitals and the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, he established the lobbying firm Christie 55 Solutions, which has reportedly earned $1.5 million from seven different clients, as reported by Open Secrets.
One company that directly benefited from Christie’s association with Trump was Pacira Biosciences. Christie was appointed to an opioids commission by the former president, and during this time, Pacira Biosciences profited from their collaboration. However, Christie asserts that his involvement with the company did not overlap with his work for Trump.
Christie’s involvement in the sports betting industry has also proven lucrative. Companies like DraftKings paid him substantial sums to provide advice and advocate for their interests. As governor, Christie championed the legalization of sports betting, earning him recognition and even induction into the Sports Betting Hall of Fame.
The Times report indicates that one company, Scientific Games, paid Christie $30,000 per month in 2018 for his consulting services. DraftKings also compensated him regularly for speaking engagements targeted at state legislators and promoting their agenda. The specific amount Christie received from DraftKings was not disclosed, as his representatives declined to share financial records with the outlet.
“Having the George Washington of legalized gaming in the US was obviously something we thought would be helpful. And his relationship with Trump we thought would be helpful
Jeremy Kudon, who worked on lobbying efforts for DraftKings and FanDuel while Christie was on their payroll, stated that the companies believed Christie’s appeal to moderate voters and right-wing conservatives, influenced by his connection to Trump, would be advantageous to their interests. Kudon explained that having someone of Christie’s stature and reputation in the legalized gaming sector was deemed beneficial.
