The special counsel investigating Donald Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and his behavior during Jan. 6 spent over $9 million in his first four months of the probe, records released Friday show.
Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed Special Counsel Jack Smith on Nov. 18 of 2022. From the day of his appointment through March 31, 2023, Smith spent over $5.4 million for personnel expenses, travel, rent and other costs within his own office’s budget. The Department of Justice (DOJ) provided an additional $3.8 million when accounting for the labor of other offices involved in the investigation, DOJ records show.
The current total cost is likely to be much larger, as the DOJ records do not yet account for the costs incurred during April, May, June and July.
Smith is overseeing the probe into the alleged retention of classified documents at Mar-a-Lago and the possible obstruction of the investigation. He is also investigating whether “any person or entity unlawfully interfered in the transfer of power following the 2020 presidential election,” or with the certification of the electoral vote tabulation around Jan. 6, Garland said during his appointment. (RELATED: Merrick Garland Announces Special Counsel For Mar-A-Lago, Jan. 6)
Trump pleaded not guilty to 37 counts related to the classified documents case in June. The federal indictment marked the first time a former president has been federally charged.
WASHINGTON, DC – JUNE 9: In this photo illustration, pages are viewed from the unsealed federal indictment of former U.S. President Donald Trump on June 9, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo Illustration by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
The charges against Trump include 31 counts of alleged violation of the Espionage Act, as well as one count of “conspiracy to obstruct justice;” one count of “withholding a document or record;” one count of corruptly concealing a document or record;” one count of “concealing a document in a deferral investigation;” one count of “scheme to conceal;” and one count of “false statements and representations.”