--- title: Chris Christie Bought $300,000 of Food and Booze on NJ Expense Account description: New Jersey Governor and presidential hopeful Chris Christie spent $300,000 from a state expense account on food and alcohol canonical: https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/ author: Sam Frizell article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2015-05-11T14:26:28.000Z article:modified_time: 2023-12-15T01:42:26.000Z article:section: Politics og:title: Chris Christie Bought $300,000 of Food and Booze on NJ Expense Account og:description: New Jersey Governor and presidential hopeful Chris Christie spent $300,000 from a state expense account on food and alcohol og:url: https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47121bac94aa8a3d/6987ef3fcd1bba12016f9624/gov-chris-christie.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 2560 og:image:height: 1440 og:image:alt: New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Chris Christie Bought $300,000 of Food and Booze on NJ Expense Account twitter:description: New Jersey Governor and presidential hopeful Chris Christie spent $300,000 from a state expense account on food and alcohol twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47121bac94aa8a3d/6987ef3fcd1bba12016f9624/gov-chris-christie.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # Chris Christie Racked Up $300k of Food and Alcohol on Expense Account > Sponsored content. 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Trapped at the Edge of Ukraine’s War_ by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Updated: Dec 15, 2023 1:42 AM UTCPublished: May 11, 2015 2:26 PM UTC  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie. Olivier Douliery—Getty Images by [Sam Frizell](https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/) ## Sam Frizell Updated: Dec 15, 2023 1:42 AM UTCPublished: May 11, 2015 2:26 PM UTC New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie spent $300,000 of a government state allowance over five years in office to buy food, alcoholic drinks and desserts, according to a new analysis of state records. In addition to his $175,000 salary, Christie receives $95,000 a year for purposes vaguely defined in the state budget for official purposes like state receptions, operating an official residence, or other expenses. And numbers published by local website [New Jersey Watchdog](http://watchdog.org/217942/christie-nj-expense-account/) show Christie, a Republican presidential hopeful, took full advantage of the stipend over his five years as governor. He spent $76,373 during 53 shopping runs at Wegmans Food Markets, and $11,971 in purchases at ShopRite supermarkets during 51 visits, in addition to another $6,536 in seven visits to ShopRite’s liquor stores. [The site](http://watchdog.org/217942/christie-nj-expense-account/) is published by the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity. All the food purchases were for official purposes, an aide in Christie’s office said, including receptions and general upkeep at the governor’s mansion. ### See Chris Christie's Life in Photos  Chris Christie as an infant in 1963. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  The Christie family, from left to right, Todd, Dawn, and Chris, with mom, Sondra in an undated photo. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  The Christie family, from left to right, Dawn, Todd and Chris, with mom, Sondra and dad, Bill in Singer Island, Fla., in 1974. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  An undated photo of Chris Christie, who played catcher for the Livingston High School varsity baseball team. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie's senior class photo and profile from Livingston High School's yearbook in 1980. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Livingston High School's yearbook profile on Chris Christie in 1980. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  An early photo of Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat where the couple met at the University of Delaware. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie and Mary Pat on their wedding day in 1986. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie, left, is sworn as freeholder, by Senator Joseph Kyrillos, Jr., as Christie’s wife Mary Pat holds the bible and their son Andrew during the Morris County Board of Freeholders reorganization meeting in Morristown, N.J. Patti Sapone—Star-Ledger  The Governor Chris Christie and his family in 1994. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie and his wife Mary Pat at the inauguration of former president George W. Bush in Washington on Jan. 20, 2001. Courtesy of Governor Chris Christie  Chris Christie, center, answers a question on the steps of U.S. District Courthouse in Newark, N.J. on Aug. 13, 2003. Mike Derer—AP  New Jersey Republican nominee for Governor Chris Christie (C) and his running mate Sheriff Kim Guadagno (L) make some phone calls to voters at Monmouth County Republican Headquarters in Freehold, N.J. on Nov. 2, 2009. Hiroko Masuike—Getty Images  New Jersey Governor-elect Chris Christie and wife Mary Pat wave to election-night supporters at Christie's victory celebration in Parsippany, N.J. on Nov. 3, 2009. Stephen Chernin—Getty Images  Governor Chris Christie spends time with his daughter Bridget during Take Our Kids to Work Day in Trenton, N.J. on April 22, 2010. Matt Rainey—Star-Ledger  Talk-show host Oprah Winfrey poses with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker and Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, during a live broadcast of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" on Sept. 24, 2010, in Chicago. Harpo Productions/AP  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lays a white rose on wreckage pulled from Ground Zero during the memorial dedication to the Empty Sky Memorial at Liberty State Park on Sept. 10, 2011 in Jersey City, N.J. Andrew Burton—Getty Images  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, center, touches the stones of the Western Wall during his visit to Jerusalem's old city, April 2, 2012. Sebastian Scheiner—AP  President Barack Obama tours 1 World Trade Center with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, center, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, in New York City on, June 14, 2012. Doug Mills—The New York Times/Redux  New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie kisses his wife, Mary Pat, at an appearance with the Michigan delegation at the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 28, 2012. Max Whittaker—The New York Times/Redux  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie speaks during the Republican National Convention at the Tampa Bay Times Forum in Tampa, Fla, on Aug. 28, 2012. Stan Honda—AFP/Getty Images  Mitt Romney, Republican presidential candidate, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, and Bob White, left, a Romney adviser, on Romney's campaign bus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, Oct. 10, 2012. Jim Wilson—The New York Times/Redux  Governor Chris Christie, Seth Meyers on Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update on Nov. 11, 2012. NBC/Getty Images  Governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama hold a press conference after taking an ariel tour of the damage in New Jersey from Hurricane Sandy and and talking to residents in Brigantine, N.J. on Oct. 31, 2012. Tim Larsen—Governor's Office  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie comforts Kerri Berean whose home was damaged by Hurricane Sandy in Little Ferry, N.J., on Nov. 3, 2012. Tim Larsen—Governor's Office/Reuters  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie appeared on "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2012," which aired Dec. 12, 2012. Ida Mae Astute—ABC/Getty Images  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie departs after giving his State of the State address in the assembly chamber in Trenton, N.J. on Jan. 8, 2013\. Christie renewed his calls to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday to quickly pass the full $60.4 billion Superstorm Sandy relief package, saying victims in New Jersey had been short-changed. Carlo Allegri—Reuters  Gov. Chris Christie fixes his tie in his offfice before delivering his State Of The State address at the Statehouse, Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, in Trenton, N.J. Edward Keating—Contact for TIME  US President Barack Obama and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (L) walk along the boardwalk as they view rebuilding efforts following last year's Hurricane Sandy in Point Pleasant, N.J. on May 28, 2013. Saul Loeb—AFP/Getty Images  New Jersey Governor Chris Christie celebrates his re-election in Asbury Park, N.J., on Nov. 5, 2013. Brooks Kraft—Corbis for TIME During the 2010 and 2011 NFL football seasons, Christie also spent a total of $82,594 at the MetLife Stadium, where the New York’s Giants and Jets play their home games. The New Jersey Republican State Committee later reimbursed the money Christie spent at MetLife to the state. Gov. Christie’s office said the money was used for official political functions to host dignitaries and legislators. “Whenever the Governor hosts an event in his official capacity, the discretionary account is available to pay for those costs associated with official reception and hosting and related incidental expenses,” said Christie’s press secretary Kevin Roberts in a statement. “Nonetheless in early 2012, the Governor made the decision that costs associated with hosting at the sporting venues were better paid with non-state funds, and those expenses incurred during 2010 and 2011 were reimbursed by the NJGOP.” Christie every year returns leftover funds from the $95,000 allowance to the state. The amount Christie returned annually to the state increased from $2,716 in 2010 to $30,377 last year. _Read next:_ [_Watch SNL Lampoon GOP Presidential Candidates_](http://time.com/3853119/snl-republican-presidential-candidates-mocked/?iid=time%5Freadnext) [_Listen to the most important stories of the day._](http://time.com/newsletter/the-brief/autoplay/?xid=spl-fullbrief-article) ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] The night shift at Turboatom used to be bustling even at midnight. Now this factory in Eastern Ukraine can feel almost deserted. [ MUSIC ] The reason isn't just the nearby war Ukraine is fighting against separatist rebels. It's the economic limbo imposed by the factory's job. As it sits right near the border with Russia. [ MUSIC ] More than 80 years ago when the plant was founded in the city of [ UNKNOWN ] it was at the center of the Soviet plan to bring electricity to every corner of the empire. And to this day it produces most of the turbines used at Russian and Ukranian power stations including nuclear power plants on both sides of the border. But in the past year Turboatom has been trapped in the between these two nations. Under the leadership of Vladimir Putin Russia's fueled the separatist rebellion in Eastern Ukraine, supplying arms and volunteers to rebel militias that have seized large chunks of territory. The Ukraine has been fighting back and at the end of February it's parliament formerly declared Russia to be an aggressor state. And in the process it put Turbo Adam and it's 6000 employees in an awkward position. To avoid bankruptcy, this state run firm has no choice but to continue selling turbines to Ukraine's enemy next door. Our firm has a tradition of carrying out all of it's orders and. Our firm has a tradition of carrying out all of its orders and contracts on time. No politics or anything else should have any impact on our work. But the impact of the war has been impossible to avoid. Russia has cut back on their orders from Turbo Adams in part to put more pressure on the Ukrainian economy. And the factory has been forced to push hundreds of workers into early retirement. The war, has meanwhile crept up from the battlefields of eastern Ukraine, into the city of Kharkov itself. Mostly in the form of bombings that now plague the city of one and a half million people. The deadliest one struck just down the road from Turboatom on February 22, when the locals held a demonstration in support of Ukrainian unity and against what they considered Russian aggression. [ FOREIGN ] Four people were fatally wounded in an attack including a 15 year old boy whose wake was held in a church not far from Tirbulero. Ukraine's security services have blamed that bombing on separatists backed by the russian. [ INAUDIBLE ] But even as the violence closes in, the workers at the factories kept showing up for their shifts. Their livelihoods and the city's economy depends on it. Even if the money they still earn comes from across the same border as the fighters waging war in eastern Ukraine. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/"},"headline":"Chris Christie Racked Up $300k of Food and Alcohol on Expense Account","datePublished":"2015-05-11T14:26:28.000Z","dateModified":"2023-12-15T01:42:26.000Z","description":"Over his five years as governor","url":"https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/","keywords":["2016 Election","2016 Election","Chris Christie"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47121bac94aa8a3d/6987ef3fcd1bba12016f9624/gov-chris-christie.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sam Frizell","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sam-frizell/"}],"articleSection":"Politics","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt47121bac94aa8a3d/6987ef3fcd1bba12016f9624/gov-chris-christie.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.","caption":"New Jersey Governor Chris Christie.","creditText":"Olivier Douliery—Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/politics/","name":"Politics"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/2016-election/","name":"2016 Election"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/","name":"Chris Christie Racked Up $300k of Food and Alcohol on Expense Account"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Trapped at the Edge of Ukraine’s War","description":"Trapped at the Edge of Ukraine’s War","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/DDZwliYu/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2015-04-09T20:06:41.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/DDZwliYu.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/","duration":"PT2M36S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/3853598/chris-christie-expense-account-new-jersey/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```