Chris Christie says he ‘played by the rules’ during recent travels

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who's still mulling a 2016 presidential run, has traveled extensively in recent months, but it's not his absence from the state that has turned out to be the main point of contention.

All of Christie's flights and luxury accommodations have been paid for by other people, mostly multimillionaires, and that has caused some controversy. The trips have been on luxurious private jets, to places like Mexico, London, several primary states and he's also gone to watch his beloved Dallas Cowboys play in Texas and in Green Bay.

Last night on Townsquare Media's February edition of Ask the Governor, when Christie was asked about his travel expenses, the governor said he wasn't at all surprised about the recent criticism in a New York Times article.

"Are we shocked that the New York Times does this? This is the New York Times, who has already decided to endorse Hillary Clinton for president I'm sure," Christie said. "Anyone who raises their head on the Republican side and looks as if...they ran they might be a threat, the New York Times is going to go after and that's what that was all about."

As to whether he's completely comfortable with how he travels and who is footing the bills, Christie said he's following the rules.

"Everything that I do is cleared by ethics folks before I do it, and yeah I'm completely comfortable with it because I comply with the rules," he said.

Christie also discussed recent fundraising efforts for a group he's formed to consider running for president.

"We're doing fine, and I don't worry about that stuff," he said. "I'll be just fine, let's put it this way: nobody should be out there worried about me."

The governor insisted his trip to England a few weeks ago was a success because he was able to connect bio-pharma firms here in New Jersey and Rutgers University with researchers at Cambridge University.

He also said he was surprised his comments about giving parents vaccination choice in the future caused a stir, because he also made it clear he and his wife Mary Pat believe in vaccinations, and all of their children have been vaccinated.