The special counsel investigating Donald Trump over misappropriation of classified documents and alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election has cost US taxpayers over $10 million so far – including $2 million in bailouts.
Jack Smith was appointed on November 18 and now has a team of 40 to 60 prosecutors, paralegals and support staff working on the investigation into the former president.
On June 8, Smith filed 37 counts of indictments against Trump related to the documents illegally stored in Mar-a-Lago. He is expected to soon face charges related to allegations of interference in the 2020 election.
Trump has repeatedly called Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor, “mentally deranged” and has shared memes on social media showing him swinging a baseball bat at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is prosecuting him for paying porn stars for hush money.
Smith, his family and other prosecutors are now being protected by the US Marshalls — at a cost of $2 million so far.
Jack Smith (left) began investigating Donald Trump’s alleged 2020 election meddling and handling of classified documents on Nov. 18: In the first four months, it cost his team $9.2 million
Taxpayers have spent nearly $2 million on US Marshals protecting Smith and his wife Katy Chevigny (above) and other prosecutors and staffers. Trump attacked them all online
Trump is seen in court in Manhattan April 4, where he will face federal charges related to the hush money payments to Stormy Daniels
Smith’s wife, documentary filmmaker Katy Chevigny, was also attacked by Trump after he learned she had produced and donated to Joe Biden’s campaign for a documentary about Michelle Obama, Becoming.
The couple lived in the Netherlands until last year and have a young daughter.
Smith’s work, which encompasses the January 6 riots, is widely regarded as one of the largest and most complicated cases in history.
At the height of the Justice Department’s efforts to bring those behind the riots to justice, officers at many US attorney’s offices and all 56 FBI field offices were busy tracking leads.
At times, more than 600 Bureau agents and support staff were assigned to riot cases.
The New York Times reported that Smith’s investigation is currently costing US taxpayers $25 million a year.
“What Jack Smith is doing is actually pretty cheap given the scope of the charges,” said Timothy J. Heaphy, a former US attorney who served as lead investigator for the House committee investigating the Capitol attack.
Smith filed charges against Trump in June for illegally taking and storing classified documents (pictured: files from boxes found by investigators in a bathroom in Mar-a-Lago).
Protester Domenic Santana calls for Trump to be jailed for abusing national secrets. Trump was indicted in Miami on June 13 and is scheduled to stand trial next year
Smith’s team is significantly larger than that of Robert K. Hur, who is investigating President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents after he left the vice presidential office.
Hur employs about 10 to 20 people and has spent about $1.2 million from his appointment in January through March, for a probable annual cost of $5.6 million.
Robert Mueller’s investigation into the ties between Trump’s campaign and Russia in 2016 was of a similar scope to Smith’s, and he spent $8.5 million in its first six months.
Trump said on Sunday the spending was ridiculous.
Trump, seen Saturday, said Sunday the spending by Smith and his legal team was absurd
“Any time you see these radical maniacs and their associates in the fake news media discuss President Donald J. Trump’s ‘trials and tribulations’, please remember that this is a coordinated hoax, just like Russia, Russia, Russia, the ‘no collusion’ Mueller witch hunt, the fake dossier, FISA fraud and anything else to gain ANOTHER CHOICE by prosecutorial misconduct steal like never before in the US over $25,000,000!!!’
He added: “Just think about it! Between Mueller, Mad Jack Smith, and the congressional committees, over $100 million has been spent investigating me since I came down the escalator in Trump Tower.
“Biden is a criminal, and by comparison, almost no money has been spent investigating him.”
“Get smart Republicans, they’re trying to steal your election!”