Andrew Mills/NJ Advance Media via AP
The Christie family on Sunday, July 2, 2017.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's "Beachgate" scandal was immortalized in a sand sculpture on the Fourth of July.It all began when he shut down the government after the legislature couldn't pass a budget on Friday, closing state parks and beaches.
Then, NJ Advance Media photojournalist Andrew Mills took photos of Christie lounging with friends and family on the empty Island Beach State Park outside the state-owned summer house of the governor.
The photos went viral, many New Jerseyans were outraged, and Christie defiantly defended his actions, sarcastically saying it was a scandal that he'd been caught enjoying time with his family.
Late Monday night, the legislature agreed to a budget deal, and Christie signed it into law, ending the government shutdown. This allowed state-run beaches to open for the Fourth of July.
Around 9 a.m. on Tuesday at Seaside Heights beach, where, as NBC 4 New York reports, Larry and Tom make a sand sculpture every Independence Day, the sculptors began their masterpiece. Four hours later, they had completed Christie, lounging in his beach chair:
But before the sun set, someone had destroyed the sculpture, according to NBC, leaving a smiley face in its place.
What talent! A "topical" sand sculpture on the Seaside Heights beach today. (Photo: Dave Bobal) pic.twitter.com/RGrRjpi4D9
- JSHN (@JSHurricaneNews) July 4, 2017Inspiration in SeasideHeights from @GovChristie stay at a closed state park beach house during budget crisis @NBCNewYork @JSHurricaneNews pic.twitter.com/MViaOTlDrh
- Brian Thompson (@brian4NY) July 4, 2017
Look who was back on the Seaside Heights beach today! @AsburyParkPress @GovChristie pic.twitter.com/mUEHEYNKDl
- Thomas P. Costello (@ThomasPCostello) July 4, 2017