On Friday, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie ordered the beaches across the Garden State closed –a reaction to the ongoing budget impasse in the state’s legislature. This weekend photos from NJ Advance Media showed Christie sunning his fat ass on Island Beach State Park –with it all to himself and family. And then he lied about it!

Afterward, Christie took the state helicopter to Trenton for a press conference. At it, he was asked about staying at the beach while the beaches were shut down. Christie responded.

“I didn’t get any sun today.”

When shown the pictures, a Christie spokesman responded:

“He did not get any sun. He had a baseball hat on.”

Taken from the White House press playbook. Needless to say, Christie’s approval number must be taking a BIG FAT hit.

UPDATE: Christie is NOW defending himself amid criticism for spending time over the Fourth of July weekend on the beach amid a state government shutdown that has many local beaches and parks closed to the public.

When asked about the photographs on Good Day Philadelphia, Christie said of the people who couldn’t access the beach,

“I’m sorry they’re not the governor. This is a residence. Here’s the problem. We have a residence in Princeton as well and that place is a place where people can go and tour but they can’t if the government’s closed. Am I supposed to move out and stay in a hotel?”

Read Christie’s full exchange on Time here.

(Photos, Andrew Mills; via CNN)