NJ governor’s hometown left holding bill for $3.7M Biden fundraiser

💲Gov. Murphy held a fundraiser for President Joe Biden

💲Dozens of police and emergency workers provided security

💲The visit racked up overtime costs for Middletown

MIDDLETOWN —  The mayor says this township is on the hook for nearly $24,000 after providing extra protection Saturday night for President Joe Biden’s fundraising event at Gov. Phil Murphy’s home.

Biden landed at the Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst late Saturday afternoon and flew Marine One to the former Fort Monmouth in Eatontown. From there he and his retinue of Secret Service agents, White House and campaign staffers, the first lady and his granddaughters traveled via motorcade to Murphy's Middletown estate.

Perry told New Jersey 101.5 he is going to seek reimbursement from the Biden campaign Tuesday but isn't hopeful of getting anything back. The township was never reimbursed for a 2022 fundraiser at the governor's home.

"The message that I can send is Middletown is always ready and willing to protect the president. But when it comes to non-governmental events, it goes above and beyond," Perry said. "And when you're able to raise $3.7 million at a fundraiser, I think a $23,000 check to the taxpayers of the town to have 55 police officers, and 279 hours worth of overtime is an easy check to write."

Perry is concerned about the impact of the overtime cost on both his township's budget. Overtime costs are included in Middletown's annual  budget but added costs create uncertainty.

"We have to pass a balanced budget. And for us, when you get unexpected costs and cost drivers that are caused by outside forces that you really have no control over, like a hurricane, that's one thing," Perry said. But when you have a president coming in, not stopping at any major flooding improvement project that the Army Corps of Engineers is doing, or coming in and sitting down with our veterans at VFW, whatever the case may be, that's another."

ALSO READ: Biden visits Murphy's NJ home, defends debate performance

Trump didn't pay Wildwood for 2020 rally

The Trump campaign gave Wildwood $54,000 shortly after getting city approval for the former president's May 11 political rally. The amount was contracted with the city as a flat rate. The campaign did not make any payment to the city for Trump's 2020 rally when he was president and the city never billed them, according to city spokeswoman Lisa Fagan.

Middletown first responders were also greeted by two separate sets of protesters. A group of pro-Trump supporters gathered first and left. A pro-Palestinian group took their place and yelled what Perry called "embarrassing" rhetoric.

"I was standing only 20 or 30 feet away during that Palestinian protest. I heard incredibly disturbing, not only rhetoric but unbelievably horrible things at our police officers. And then people and the public wants to know why people don't want to become police officers anymore," Perry said.

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