Gov. Christie misses speaking engagement at House GOP meeting

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) missed a House Republican conference meeting on Wednesday morning at which he was scheduled to speak.

An aide said Republicans wanted to bring in the popular GOP governor to encourage lawmakers to contribute to the party’s bid to keep the House majority.

But Christie ran late, and Republican leaders ended the meeting before he showed up.

Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas) said Christie had been at a morning fundraiser at a downtown hotel, where donors were lined up to greet him. Inside the GOP meeting, lawmakers who had made significant contributions to the National Republican Congressional Committee stood up to encourage their colleagues to pony up.

An inquiry to a Christie spokesman was not immediately returned.

---