Six people who tried to disrupt a town hall meeting hosted by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie were ejected from the building in what became the governor's most raucous community gathering in the weeks since his administration became ensnared in a political payback scandal, according to USA Today.
Police removed one protester, Rowan University student Michael Brein, after he began shouting about supposed inequities in the distribution of Superstorm Sandy aid, USA Today reported.
Christie tried ignoring Brein by turning his back on him, but when that didn't work, the Republican governor reeled around, telling Brein to sit down or be thrown out, according to USA Today.
Local police escorted Brein from the building, and five others were shown the door after yelling about the political retribution scandal and other matters, USA Today reported. The disruption appeared to have been loosely coordinated by citizens' groups that have opposed Christie's housing and tax policies.
The hecklers were not arrested and no charges would be filed, state police said, according to USA Today.
Outside, the somewhat rumpled, unshaven 19-year-old Brein said he expected Christie wouldn't call on him because of how he looks, USA Today reported. He spouted a litany of anti-Christie complaints, including that the town halls are staged affairs in Republican-controlled areas that are inaccessible to most people because they are held during work hours.
At the event, Christie told the crowd that the hecklers wanted attention, pointing to the 13 television cameras and score of reporters covering the event, according to USA Today.
The intended focus of the town hall, state spending, was largely overshadowed, USA Today reported. The governor did announce that average property tax bills, already the nation's highest, rose a relatively modest 1.7 percent last year, which he said is evidence that his policies are working.
Christie has returned to his signature town halls in recent weeks as he tries to shake the scandal and investigations that are dogging his administration and raising questions about his chances in a potential 2016 presidential race, according to USA Today.
Re-elected last fall, Christie became known during his first term as liable to pick a fight during town halls, USA Today reported. He famously called a Navy SEAL an idiot during a shouting match and tangled with a public school teacher who was inspired by the event to run for Congress. His staff circulated many of these moments in YouTube videos.
Security appeared to be ramped up for Thursday's town hall as well, according to USA Today. Attendees were screened with wands, and the auditorium was ringed with local and state police, both in uniform and plainclothes.
Such security is not extraordinary with town hall crowds usually exceeding 500 people, said Capt. Stephen Jones of the New Jersey State Police, USA Today reported.
Despite the disruptions, the audience remained mostly supportive; some booed the disrupters, according to USA Today.
