Well, Gov. Chris Christie did ask if he should head to South Jersey with a mop. And at least 66 people are willing to pitch in, in case he doesn't have one handy.

As of Thursday afternoon, the "Mops for Christie" GoFundMe was up to $670, with 66 contributors.

"That really is a lot of mops," fundraiser organizer Kiyle Osgood told New Jersey 101.5 Thursday. "But the intention wasn't really to raise money. It was to raise awareness of how people can help."

Christie did his public image few favors this week when — already receiving criticism for seeming to downplay flood damage in and around Cape May County as he left the state Sunday to return to campaigning in New Hampshire — he took a question from a town hall audience member.

She said she was seeing pictures and video of damage from “all over the state" after this weekend's massive snowstorm.

Christie answered: “All over the state? Really? There’s been one county that’s flooded in the state. That was Cape May County. I don’t know where from ‘all over the state’ since we have 21 counties where that’s happened. I don’t know what you expect me to do. Do you want me to go down there with a mop?”

Christie later apologized to North Wildwood Mayor Patrick Rosenello for calling him a "crazy south Jersey mayor," after Rosenello said this weekend's blizzard flooding was worse in his area than seen in superstorm Sandy. Christie also said he didn't mean any disrespect to the people of South Jersey dealing with flood damage, and he suspected the woman who asked the question had been a "plant" from another political campaign.

In his fundraiser, Osgood told would-be donors:

"Instead of staying in the state and being a leader during a record-breaking blizzard, our governor has abandoned us for his presidential campaign. For his own personal gain, he abandoned the people that he promised to govern and lead. This is unacceptable of a leader and an embarrassment to the people of New Jersey. Lets join together by raising funds to Mop up the mess we have in Trenton."

Osgood said he's met the governor once before — the graduate of South Jersey's Stockton University had been active on its board, and in several community service projects, so he was present when Christie came to help open a science center. Christie struck him as a "good guy, very busy, very straightforward," Osgood said.

But the "mop" comment and others Christie made suggesting New Jersey didn't suffer serious flood damage — even on Sunday, as towns around the Wildwoods continued to deal with roads made impassable by water and damage done to businesses and homes — didn't sit well with Osgood. Rosenello has said officials evacuated about 150 families.

"I went through Us Marine Corps OCS (Officer Candidate School)," Osgood said. "You learn the 14 leadership traits, including unselfishness. It just seemed a little selfish to me."

Osgood has set a goal of $1,000 for his fundraiser. He said while he could buy countless mops for that money, he'll likely just buy enough to make his point, send them to the governor (possibly via the State House) — and then donate the rest to groups that can help South Jersey residents and businesses affected by the flooding.

 

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