Special counsel David Weiss’ office spent a total of $3.4 million over the past six months, with expenses increasing dramatically as they took Hunter Biden to trial in Delaware on gun-related charges and secured a conviction of the president’s son. In the six months ending in March, Weiss spent $2.3 million, with an additional expense of $1.1 million for using existing Justice Department resources, such as security protection. This represents a significant increase from the previous period when Weiss only spent $183,000 and used $132,000 of standing department resources.
Spending by other Justice Department-appointed special counsels, Jack Smith and Robert Hur, decreased slightly in comparison with the six months prior. Smith’s office, which brought federal criminal cases against Trump, spent $6.63 million from October through March and used $5.2 million of DOJ resources, totaling about $11.8 million. Hur, who investigated President Biden for handling classified records, spent $2.475 million on personnel and other expenses through March, with a total cost of nearly $5 million including department resources. Both Smith and Weiss are still active and working on moving criminal cases toward trial in federal courts.
Courts have been scrutinizing special counsel office operations more closely, with defendants such as Hunter Biden and Donald Trump questioning the amounts spent on their investigations and the Justice Department’s use of special counsels appointed by the attorney general. Smith’s case against Trump related to election overturning efforts is ongoing, while Weiss is preparing for Hunter Biden’s trial in a tax case in California. Appeals courts and the Supreme Court are expected to continue examining the Department’s use of special counsels and their funding sources.
A federal judge overseeing the classified documents case against Trump and co-defendants dismissed the case last month, citing constitutional questions about the office’s funding. Smith’s office is appealing this decision. Hunter Biden and another defendant in a separate criminal case have been unsuccessful in challenging special counsel Weiss’ authority. The legal process is ongoing, and the involvement of special counsels in high-profile cases raises important questions about their funding and accountability.
Overall, the financial disclosures released by the special counsel offices highlight significant spending on staff, travel, offices, and other supplies and services. The increasing scrutiny of special counsel operations by the courts, the challenges raised by defendants regarding the expenditure of resources, and the ongoing investigation and prosecution of high-profile cases create an environment where questions about funding and oversight continue to be raised. The role of special counsels within the Justice Department’s structure and their ability to draw funds from a standing account without specific congressional approval are likely to be subjects of continued legal debate and review at all levels of the judiciary.
