Cowboys fan Christie raises $ at Jerry's house

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's public campaign schedule for Wednesday just said he'd be at an evening fundraising reception somewhere in Dallas: CLOSED PRESS.

Perhaps the GOP presidential contender did not want to draw attention to the fact the event was to be hosted by Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones. After all, when Christie was outed as a Cowboys fan-boy last year, things got a little rocky for him - especially in Philadelphia and South Jersey, where hating that team from that place is practically a civic religion. (Come to think of it, the 'boys are not too popular in North Jersey either; right Giants fans?)

The Cowboys are an extra touchy topic following their decisive win over the Eagles Sunday, 20-10.

Christie's love for what is loosely called America's Team became something of an ethical albatross for him. Jones paid to fly the governor and his family on a private jet to a playoff game in Dallas earlier this year and provided them tickets, at an estimated value of $150,000. That was the game where Christie, wearing an orange sweater hugged Jones, a display of affection that went viral.

Christie attended four other games a guest of the Cowboys owner in the 2014-15 season, but did not declare them (or the flight) on his ethics disclosure form, citing a standing New Jersey executive order exempting the reporting of gifts from friends.

Critics howled after news reports that the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which Christie controls along with his Empire State counterpart, had given a contract to a company owned partly by Jones, Legends, to run the observation tower at the new One World Trade Center tower.

Christie said, "I didn't know him" at the time the contract was awarded in 2013, speaking of Jones, though at other times he has said he was a friend of the Cowboys owner since at least 2010. But the governor also said he had nothing to do with awarding the contract.

Now comes the "on the other hand" part.

Christie has changed his position on immigration reform, from supporting a path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants to opposing it, for instance, and from support of Common Core national education standards to opposition to them. But he has never wavered in his Cowboy fandom, nor tried to hide it. You've got to respect that. Christie has said he became a fan in the early 1970s, admiring quarterback Roger Staubach.

That kind of loyalty stood to be rewarded Wednesday night at the fundraiser at Jones' home. Dallas investor Ray Washburne, Christie's national campaign finance chairman, also hosted the event, according to the Dallas Morning News.

The newspaper reported that tickets began at $1,000 per. Supporters were asked to raise as much as $27,000, by corralling 10 people to contribute the maximum $2,700 each.

Last December, Christie was shown on camera high-fiving Jones in a Lincoln Financial Field luxury box during a Cowboys win over the Eagles.

"I'm a Cowboys fan, and I'm sitting with the owner of the Cowboys and the Cowboys score a touchdown," Christie said on a radio program after he was vilified by Eagles fans, including former City Councilman Jim Kenney, now the Democratic mayoral nominee. "What am I supposed to do…stare straight ahead?" Christie added.

"I'd rather have my teeth drilled than listen to that awful song, 'Fly, Eagles, Fly,'" Christie said in a Washington Post profile published in October 2014.