Taxpayers have footed the bill for the Department of Justice’s spending into two high-profile investigations surrounding President Donald Trump and his former Vice President Joe Biden. The total for both investigations has come to $23 million, with $6.4 million being spent investigating the financial affairs of President Trump and his associates, and the remaining $16.4 million going towards a probe into Biden and his son, Hunter. The investigation into President Trump covered a range of topics, including any “implied” campaign finance violations, possible business relationships with Russia, and his personal tax affairs. This investigation ended with the conclusion that no criminal activity had taken place. Meanwhile, the investigation into Joe Biden and his son Hunter into any criminal activity surrounding Biden’s tenure as VP and his son’s activities with the Ukraine-based energy firm, Burisma. The Department of Justice believes there is no evidence of wrong doing, but the total cost for the investigation still adds up to more than $16 million. This is evidence of the financial burdens that investigations into high-profile political figures can have on taxpayers. Many were critical of the price tag for both investigations, arguing that the sum was unjustified. Nevertheless, the Department of Justice has stressed that it is important to ensure that any wrong-doing is dealt with in a fair and equitable manner. The expense of the investigations is a necessary burden that taxpayers must take on if they wish for the investigations to be conducted properly. In the end, the $23 million cost for the investigations into President Trump and Joe Biden is a stark reminder of how our legal system can be a costly endeavor for taxpayers. For some, it highlights the need for improvement when it comes to ensuring that investigations are conducted efficiently. In any case, the two investigations into Biden and Trump will officially come to an end sometime in the near future. Whether taxpayers think the cost was justified or not, they ultimately footed the bill for these high-profile investigations.