A Democratic congressman says the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development found enough evidence to justify a full audit.
Federal officials are taking a closer look at how New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's administration spent $25 million to promote the Jersey shore after Superstorm Sandy.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone Jr.'s office says the inspector general at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will audit the campaign, which featured commercials showing the Christie family.
The inspector general conducted a basic review last year at Pallone's urging. Pallone says the office found enough evidence to justify a full audit.
The administration chose a politically connected public relations company over another firm that had bid $2 million less. The winning bidder proposed using Christie in the ads, while the other did not.
Revelations about the contract caused a bit of a flap in New Jersey last year as Christie was seeking re-election.
Colin Reed, a spokesman for Christie, derided the timing of Pallone's announcement and noted that the ad campaign was part of a plan approved by the federal government.
"Federal agency reviews are routine and standard operating procedure with all federally allocated resources to ensure that funds are distributed fairly," Reed said in a statement. "We're confident that any review will show that the ads were a key part in helping New Jersey get back on its feet after being struck by the worst storm in state history."