The Department of Justice (DOJ) has spent a lot more taxpayer money investigating Trump than it has on President Biden, according to a recently released DOJ statement of expenditures.
The DOJ allocated approximately $23 million in taxpayer funds for two investigations led by special counsel Jack Smith into Trump’s actions, as detailed in the expenditure statement. In contrast, the probe into Biden’s handling of classified documents has incurred a cost of only $6.4 million, roughly a quarter of what was spent on investigating Trump.
The total expenses for Smith’s investigations also encompassed approximately $7.3 million allocated for pay, travel, rent, and benefits for staff, as outlined in the expenditure statement. An additional $7.2 million was used for security measures for Smith and the special counsel, as needed.
Moreover, the expenditure statement accounts for $9 million from the DOJ’s investigation conducted between November 2022 and March 2023. This brings the total cost incurred by September 2023 for Trump’s investigations to $23 million. It’s important to note that Trump has pleaded not guilty to Smith’s charges, which include alleged mishandling of classified documents and interference in the 2020 presidential election.
On the other hand, the DOJ’s investigation into Biden, conducted from January 2023 to September 2023, amounted to approximately $6.4 million, according to the expenditure statement. Special counsel Robert Hur, assigned to the Biden probe in January 2022, is unlikely to press charges against Biden or any other individuals involved in the investigation. Reports indicate that Hur’s team aims to produce final investigation results by the end of 2024.
Author: Scott Dowdy