Trump Probes Drain $24 Million From Justice Dept. Coffers as Legal Saga Snowballs

The Justice Department and the special counsel have spent almost $24 million on cases involving Trump. Lawyers’ bills show that the Justice Department has spent almost $24 million looking into and pursuing former President Trump, according to CNN Politics.

The office of special counsel Jack Smith said it spent $7.4 million on things like pay, supplies, and transportation. During the same time period, other DOJ departments also spent an extra $7.3 million to help Smith.

The extra money the DOJ spent on his case adds up to $132,098. Reports released Friday show that Smith and other special counsels spent a total of nearly $12.7 million on their investigations into former President Donald Trump between April and September 2023. This includes $7.3 million spent on his investigations into Trump.

Trump-Related Cases That the DOJ and Special Counsel are Investigating

The Trump-related cases that the Justice Department and special counsel are investigating include:

1. Special counsel’s office investigation: This case focuses on whether Trump or those close to him violated the law by interfering with the lawful transfer of power after the 2020 presidential election or with Congress’s confirmation of the results on January 6, 2021.
2. Manhattan “hush money” probe: A New York grand jury is investigating the circumstances surrounding a “hush money” payment to an adult making Trump the first former president in U.S. history to be indicted in a criminal case. The case is scheduled to go on trial in March 2024.
3. Special counsel’s Mar-a-Lago documents case: Trump became the first former president charged with federal crimes when he was indicted on June 8, 2023, related to his handling of classified documents. An aide to Trump, Waltine Nauta, was also charged in the case and has entered a not guilty plea.
4. Georgia, Florida, Manhattan, and Washington investigations: Trump has been sued in New York and indicted in Georgia, Florida, Manhattan, and Washington, as federal and state prosecutors elsewhere have opened a number of investigations.

These cases are being investigated by various prosecutors, including special couns Jack Smith, Robert Hur, and David Weiss, as well as the Justice Department and other federal agencies.

How is the DOJ and Special Counsel Spending the Money on Trump-Related Cases

The Justice Department and special counsel have spent the money on Trump-related cases in various ways. According to the expense reports, the spending includes the following:

1. Special counsel Jack Smith’s office reported spending $7.4 million on salaries, supplies, and transportation between April 2023 and September 2023.
2. Other DOJ entities spent an additional $7.3 million to support Smith during the same period.
3. Additional DOJ expenditures related to Smith’s investigation amount to $132,098.
4. Security costs for special counsel Jack Smith’s team have risen dramatically, with the Justice Department spending more than $4.4 million on protection for the special counsel’s team between April and September of 2023.
5. The special counsel has also incurred expenses on travel, rent, supplies, printing, and contractual services in the Trump probes.

These expenditures cover a range of costs associated with the investigations and prosecutions related to former President Trump, including personnel, support, and security.

The Latest Update on Trump-Related Cases

The latest update on Trump-related cases being investigated by the Justice Department and special counsel is as follows:

1. Special counsel Jack Smith has spent more than $12 million on Trump cases so far, with his office reporting spending $7.4 million on salaries, supplies, and transportation between April 2023 and September 2023.
2. Former President Trump has been indicted in four cases, making him the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. The cases include his efforts to overturn the 2020 election and his handling of classified documents. The trial for one of the cases is scheduled for March 4, 2024, and potential jurors have received notices that they are being considered.
3. The costs of prosecuting former President Trump’s two federal cases have surpassed $12 million, with special counsel Jack Smith disclosing that his office spent over $7.3 million in the last six months. The bulk of the spending went toward personnel costs, covering the salaries of prosecutors working on Trump’s election interference case and his Florida-based case for mishandling classified documents.

In summary, the investigations and prosecutions related to former President Trump have incurred significant costs, and he faces multiple indictments, with trials scheduled for 2024.