Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results has cost $5.4 million in the four months since his appointment in November, according to officials. However, the majority of that money, $3.8 million, was not spent on Smith’s office specifically but rather on resources and work done by other parts of the Justice Department to assist in the investigations.
The budget summary, which covers spending through March, also includes the cost of protective details for the Special Counsel when necessary. The Justice Department also released cost summaries for its two other special counsels over the past six months. Robert Hur, who was assigned to investigate whether classified documents were mishandled in President Biden’s home and former office, spent significantly less at $615,962 in the two-and-a-half months covered by the summary. John Durham, who was tasked during the Trump administration to investigate the FBI’s investigation of Trump and 2016 election interference by Russia, spent $1.1 million between October and March as he was winding down his investigation. The Durham probe has cost about $7.6 million since he was formally appointed as a special counsel in 2020.
In comparison, the special counsel investigation into Russia’s 2016 election interference, Trump’s involvement, and potential obstruction of justice cost approximately $32 million over two years. About half of the funding covered special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s office and staff, while the other half covered resources from other parts of the Justice Department.
During the 1990s, independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr spent over $52 million investigating President Bill Clinton, and the five other independent counsels appointed to look into various Clinton-related matters spent over $100 million. Since then, the law authorizing independent counsels has expired, and the Justice Department has shifted towards special counsels to oversee high-profile and politically sensitive investigations.
Special counsels are prosecutors appointed directly by attorneys general in extraordinary circumstances where senior officials determine that it is important to have a particular case handled with an extra degree of independence from the Justice Department’s politically appointed leadership.
Attorney General Merrick Garland inherited one special counsel, Durham, and appointed Smith and Hur, indicating the increasing role politically fraught cases have played at the Justice Department since the actions of the FBI and Justice Department in the 2016 presidential race.
Law enforcement officials state that Smith’s office’s investigation into the 2020 election results is more extensive than the classified-documents case, with numerous potential witnesses and evidence. However, the recent indictment of Trump and an aide in the classified-documents case is likely to lead to a public trial, resulting in significant additional costs, particularly for security measures.
How much has the extended duration of the Durham probe added to its overall cost?
Robe has since been extended, so additional costs are expected.
According to officials, Special Counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into former President Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents and efforts to overturn the 2020 election results has incurred a cost of $5.4 million since his appointment in November. However, it is important to note that the majority of this amount, $3.8 million, was not directly spent on Smith’s office, but rather on resources and work conducted by other parts of the Justice Department to support the investigations.
In addition to this, the budget summary also includes the expenses related to protective details for the Special Counsel when deemed necessary. The Justice Department has also released the cost summaries for its other two special counsels over the past six months. Robert Hur, who was assigned to investigate whether classified documents were mishandled in President Biden’s home and former office, spent a significantly lesser amount of $615,962 during the two-and-a-half months covered by the summary. On the other hand, John Durham, who was tasked during the Trump administration to investigate the FBI’s examination of Trump and the interference of Russia in the 2016 election, expended $1.1 million between October and March as his investigation was nearing its conclusion. It should be noted, however, that the Durham probe has been extended, so further costs are anticipated.
