Trump-related investigations by Special Counsel Jack Smith surpass $9 million in expenses

Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigations into President Donald Trump’s retention of classified records and attempts to overturn the 2020 election have incurred costs exceeding $9 million over the first few months, according to documents released on Friday. The special counsel’s office spent over $5.4 million on salaries, travel, rent, supplies, and materials from Smith’s appointment in November 2022 through the end of March. Additionally, Justice Department agencies spent $3.8 million to support the special counsel, covering expenses such as protective details and hours worked by agents and analysts on the probes.

Trump was indicted last month on 37 felony counts alleging that he unlawfully retained classified records at his Mar-a-Lago estate and refused to return them when requested by the government. Both Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta, who was charged alongside him, have pleaded not guilty. Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and criticized the prosecution as an attempt to hinder his 2024 presidential bid.

Smith’s investigations have also focused on Trump’s efforts, along with his allies, to overturn President Joe Biden’s election victory. Since his appointment, Smith has sought interviews and testimony related to fundraising, Trump’s rally preceding the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, and communications between Trump associates and election officials in battleground states. In December, Smith subpoenaed local election officials in Wisconsin, Michigan, Arizona, and Pennsylvania, requesting communications involving Trump, his campaign aides, and allies involved in his attempts to overturn the election results.

The Justice Department also provided details on the expenses incurred by former Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert Hur’s investigation into the presence of classified documents found at President Biden’s home in Delaware and a Washington office. Hur’s team spent approximately $600,000, with an additional $570,000 spent on Justice Department support expenses in the initial two months of the probe.

Comparatively, the investigation led by Robert Mueller into potential collusion between the 2016 Trump campaign and Russia cost approximately $32 million. Mueller’s investigation resulted in around three dozen criminal charges, including convictions of several Trump associates.

Meanwhile, Special Counsel John Durham’s four-year investigation into possible government errors and misconduct in the probe into Russia-Trump campaign ties incurred costs of over $9 million. Durham’s report, released in May, criticized the FBI for rushing its Russia investigation and relying excessively on raw and unconfirmed intelligence. While Durham’s investigation led to a guilty plea from a relatively unknown FBI employee, the only two criminal cases taken to trial resulted in losses for the prosecutors.

Overall, the ongoing investigations by Special Counsel Jack Smith and others into President Trump’s actions have accumulated significant costs, raising questions about the allocation of resources and the potential outcomes of these inquiries.

Original Story at www.pbs.org – 2023-07-07 23:44:14