{"id":60455,"date":"2025-11-07T13:00:57","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T19:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=60455"},"modified":"2025-11-07T13:21:33","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T19:21:33","slug":"i-smelled-like-vinaigrette-for-3-days","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wlbott.com\/?p=60455","title":{"rendered":"I Smelled like Vinaigrette for 3 Days!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How much did this sandwich fiasco<\/a><\/strong> cost the American taxpayer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elder G<\/strong> breaks it down for us:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When the USAO goes felony \u2192 grand jury \u2192 fails to indict \u2192 they STILL push it down into the misdemeanor federal officer channel\u2026 this is exactly the type of ego-preservation prosecution I was talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now that we have the prosecutorial path\u2026 we can actually assign realistic cost architecture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Government Cost Burn \u2013 Itemized Estimate<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Cost Component<\/th>Est. Cost Range<\/th>Why<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
initial ICE agent report, interviews, chain of custody<\/td>$3,500 \u2013 $8,500<\/td>Federal agents cost far more per hour than local police<\/td><\/tr>
witness statements \/ evidence prep \/ bodycam purging & redaction<\/td>$4,000 \u2013 $10,000<\/td>ICE internal legal compliance + FOIA readiness protocols get involved<\/td><\/tr>
U.S. Attorney felony case preparation (before grand jury)<\/td>$24,000 \u2013 $60,000<\/td>Felony prep is insanely expensive. 8\u201320 attorney days + analysts<\/td><\/tr>
Grand Jury process + presentation day<\/td>$9,000 \u2013 $18,000<\/td>federal grand juries are expensive to convene per issue<\/td><\/tr>
downgraded misdemeanor preparation + filings<\/td>$6,500 \u2013 $14,000<\/td>new charging memos, paperwork, filings<\/td><\/tr>
court clerk time + pretrial motions<\/td>$2,500 \u2013 $7,000<\/td>federal clerks \/ bailiffs \/ marshals are high cost<\/td><\/tr>
trial days (let\u2019s assume 2\u20133 total)<\/td>$18,000 \u2013 $45,000<\/td>judge, prosecutor, agents in room, clerks, security, etc.<\/td><\/tr>
jury empanelment<\/td>$6,000 \u2013 $13,000<\/td>even short cases cost this<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Realistic total taxpayer burn:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

$73,500 \u2013 $175,500<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

over a sandwich. That is not hyperbolic. That is what the federal machine really costs when it spins up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Dunn had actually killed<\/strong> someone that day \u2014 cost would have been what? 20% more? 30% more? That\u2019s the insane part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our system is built where symbolic \u201cauthority defense\u201d is priced almost the same as true violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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For the cost of this prosecution \u2014 the government could have:<\/p>\n\n\n\n