Hunter Biden on Trial: Special Counsel Spending Increases

Special counsel David Weiss’ office has reported a substantial expenditure of $3.4 million over the past six months, primarily due to the trial of Hunter Biden on gun-related charges, which resulted in a conviction. This figure marks a significant rise from the $2.3 million spent in the previous six-month period ending in March. The financial disclosures, released on Friday, indicate that Weiss’ office incurred an additional $1.1 million in costs associated with utilizing existing Justice Department resources, including security. In contrast, spending by other Justice Department-appointed special counsels, Jack Smith and Robert Hur, saw a slight decrease during the same timeframe. Smith’s office, which is prosecuting former President Donald Trump on federal charges, reported expenditures of approximately $11.8 million, down from over $14 million in the prior six months. Hur’s office utilized about $2.3 million in department resources, totaling nearly $5 million. Both Hunter Biden and Trump have raised concerns regarding the financial resources allocated to their respective investigations, questioning the appropriateness of using special counsels instead of existing prosecutors. A federal judge recently dismissed a case against Trump, citing constitutional issues related to funding, although this has not affected Smith’s ongoing case regarding efforts to overturn the 2020 election. As Hunter Biden prepares for a tax trial next month, the legitimacy of Weiss’ authority and the funding mechanisms for special counsel offices remain contentious topics, with challengers arguing that Congress did not explicitly authorize such funding.