As the trial of Hunter Biden commences, expenditures for the assigned investigator increase.
Weiss' spending surged to $2.3 million during the half-year ending in March. On top of that, Weiss' team also racked up an extra $1.1 million in expenses for utilizing existing Justice Department assets like security, bringing the grand total to approximately $3.4 million, as indicated in financial statements published on Friday.
The timeframe prior to Weiss' appointment in August 2023, extending up until September of the same year, saw Weiss' expenses amounting to roughly $183,000 and utilization of $132,000 in departmental resources.
Spending by the special counsels appointed by the Justice Department, Jack Smith and Robert Hur, saw a slight dip relative to the preceding six months. The latest data, released on Friday, illustrates expenditure on travel, staff, office maintenance, and other services, spanning from October of the previous year all the way through to March.
These disclosures have come under increased judicial scrutiny of special counsel operations. Recently, defendants being prosecuted by two of the special counsels, namely Hunter Biden and Donald Trump, have raised concerns over the amount spent on their respective investigations and questioned the Justice Department's validity in utilizing attorney-general appointed special counsels instead of local prosecutors.
Smith's office, which took federal criminal charges against Trump in Florida and Washington, D.C., splurged $6.63 million from October through March, as well as making use of $5.2 million in Justice Department resources, totaling around $11.8 million, compared to over $14 million in the preceding six months.
Hur, who probed President Biden for mismanaging classified documents following his vice presidency and concluded the investigation early in the spring by filing no charges, dished out $2.475 million on various expenses during the six months up until March. Further, Hur used approximately $2.3 million in departmental resources, resulting in a total cost nearing $5 million. The previous six-month period incurred a nearly $5.3 million expense.
Smith and Weiss continue to be active, attempting to advance criminal cases towards federal court trials.
A federal judge handling the classified documents case against Trump and two co-accused dismissed the case last month, owing to constitutional concerns regarding how the office procured funding. Smith's office is appealing the decision.
Smith's case against Trump regarding attempts to overturn the 2020 election is ongoing, and the funding of the office isn't a matter of contention before that judge.
Hunter Biden and another accused in a separate criminal case have thus far been unsuccessful in challenging special counsel Weiss' jurisdiction. The president's son is scheduled to stand trial next month for a tax case brought forward by Weiss in California.
Appeals courts and even the Supreme Court are likely to persist in evaluating concerns regarding the Justice Department’s use of special counsels.
A significant query at hand is whether the offices have the capacity to draw funds from a perpetual standing fund controlled by the Department when it comes to allocating expenditure. Critics, including Trump, have contended that such a practice shouldn't be allowed because it lacks explicit approval from Congress for the special counsel offices.
The heated debate about special counsel funding has also extended to discussions on politics, with critics arguing that the practice of drawing funds from a perpetual standing fund without explicit Congressional approval is questionable.
The rising costs of special counsel investigations, such as Weiss' spending of $3.4 million and Smith's $11.8 million, have led to calls for greater transparency and accountability in politics.
