New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy spent nearly $13,000 of taxpayer money for his wife to have an office nearby.

The purpose of the taxpayer fund project was to turn a conference room down the hall from the governor’s office into a private office for the first lady, New Jersey Advance Media reported. The governor and first lady have spent $27,000 of taxpayer money refurbishing their respective work spaces since taking office in January.

The governor defended spending taxpayer money on a door Thursday.

“She has a prominent seat at the table for policy discussions,” Murphy wrote in an email forwarded to reporters Thursday. “She has certainly become a driving force on the issues that matter most to her — particularly on environmental issues and our plans for transitioning to a clean-energy economy, an area where she has a wealth of valuable insight.”

Murphy would turn New Jersey into a “progressive blue beacon,” he pledged when taking office. The governor defeated his Republican challenger by 13 percentage points — an achievement attributed to the “failed economy” and “failed leadership” of former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

The governor promised New Jersey voters free community college, legalized marijuana, a $15 minimum wage and a state-run bank.

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