expense account

In 2009, while Mr. Lewis was editor of The Daily Telegraph, Mr. Winnett revealed that politicians had used government expense accounts to spend lavishly.

He could exasperate editors with his strongly held opinions and his prodigal ways with an expense account.

Soon, Santos appears to have started directly using his campaign funds — assembled from small and large donors who believed they were supporting a Republican for Congress — as a personal expense account.

When it did not, the bill was paid through the governor’s $95,000 annual expense account.

And, of course, it has also inspired envy among those of us at The Times who cover culture and probably can’t justify a $3,250 Zoom on the ol’ expense account.