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NEW YORK (Dagbladet): Trump’s unsubstantiated claim that the presidential election was stolen is now known as “the big lie” in the American media. It has also become extremely expensive for American taxpayers.
The integral calculation is done by the Washington Post. The costs include increased security measures, legal costs, and property damage.
He retires from the association: – Who cares!
So far, the newspaper’s estimate ends at $ 519 million (about $ 4.4 billion), and costs are increasing every day as government agencies have had to use public funds to respond to Trump’s actions and his supporters. Many people also do not finish calculating how much money they have had to spend on this.
Threats of death
The calculation includes legal costs related to various lawsuits and increased security after election employees were exposed to death threats. Then there is the costly devastation when Trump supporters launched a violent attack on Congress on January 6. The attack also cost heavily when the National Guard had to be deployed in the next few days for fear of more violent extremism.
So far the calculation is as follows:
- Federal costs associated with the attack on Congress on January 6 and Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20: At least $ 488.8 million (about $ 4.254 million)
- State costs related to the attack on Congress and the inauguration: At least $ 28.3 million (about $ 240 million).
- State costs for legal challenges and security measures for electoral personnel: At least 2.2 million dollars (about 18.7 million crowns).
Allies fear a new public relations nightmare
Threatening weather
At the same time, it is very difficult to find out what the real costs are associated with destabilizing American democracy.
Among other things, local leaders have made it clear in various places that they will now implement important security measures because events since the November elections have created a much more threatening climate.
– I think that every time you see events like the one we saw on January 6, your perspective of the future changes. “They don’t take things for granted like we used to,” Utah Highway Patrol Police Chief Michael Rapich told the Washington Post.
Trump’s team strikes back
On January 17, they had to spend $ 227,000 (about 1.9 million crowns) dispatching 300 police officers to the state assembly following threats of an armed attack from Trump supporters before Biden’s installation.
The FBI warned in advance that there were threats against state assemblies in all 50 states of the country. Dagbladet visited Harrisburg in Pennsylvania and Richmond in Virginia these days and witnessed some of the security measures and demonstrations.
25,000 soldiers
In addition, 25,000 soldiers were sent to Washington DC to reinforce security when Biden was to take the oath. They stayed in local hotels. According to Bloomberg News, the soldiers cost more than $ 480 million. This covers the costs of the soldiers, who protect the congress building, until mid-March. Dagbladet was also living in a hotel in DC these days and witnessed extreme security measures throughout the city center.
Several states are still trying to calculate how much the security measures have cost. In California, for example, the government estimates they spent about $ 19 million (about $ 161.5 million) protecting the state legislature and elsewhere between January 14 and 21.
Bomb manual found with Proud Boys member after Congressional storm
In addition, investigators from the police and judiciary are now using huge resources in the wake of the attack on Congress. So far, a case has been opened against 400 possible suspects. 135 people have been arrested and 150 federal charges have been dropped.
Supreme Court case
Next week, the Supreme Court case against Trump begins in the Senate. He is accused of inciting incitement before the attack on Congress. It is not yet known whether the Democrats, who will prosecute the case, will point out that Trump’s lies about voter fraud may have generated high public costs.
Trump’s advocates have so far claimed that Trump’s words to his supporters just before, about going to Congress and “fighting like hell,” are part of his free speech.
