# How much time and money has the January 6th "incident" cost us, as taxpayer? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 29, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695 "2022-04-29T21:50:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/1 "2022-04-29T21:50:10Z")
seriously, I do NOT want to end up in GD but i really want to know a “ball park” guestimate… The whole debacle (dare I say insurrection) on 1/6 how much are we STILL paying for it…in damages… deferred congressional attention, investigative services…??? I am sure I am missing other cost areas, but a rough guess, how much has it cost USA as a nation so far? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/2 "2022-04-29T22:58:19Z")
Well, we are told the [property damage was $2.73 million.](https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacharysmith/2022/04/08/capitol-riot-costs-go-up-government-estimates-273-million-in-property-damage/?sh=2fe731ac19c5) Another estimate, with a more expansive definition of costs, [says $30 million.](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/24/us/politics/capitol-riot-damage.html) What about costs to prosecute rioters? No idea. Knock on costs (such as improving security) [this says $406 million…and add in $521 million to compensate the National Guard.](https://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2022/0106/By-the-numbers-The-cost-and-consequences-of-the-Jan.-6-riot) Cost of Congress investigating…no idea. Not sure how you add that up. I think it is easy to get north of $1 billion. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/3 "2022-04-29T23:04:02Z")
I appreciate your reply… ancillary damages?? My personal guesstimate is into the billions… but that us not factual, just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/4 "2022-04-29T23:06:39Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > What about costs to prosecute rioters? No idea. > > … > > Cost of Congress investigating…no idea. Not sure how you add that up. While there may be a few additional hires for these things, the vast majority is being done with existing resources. Prosecutors, Judges, investigators, Senators, etc., already on salary. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/5 "2022-04-29T23:12:38Z")
Yes and no. Presumably they have many things they could be doing and choosing one over the other is a cost. For example, you could weed your garden this weekend but, because your basement flooded, you can’t do that and must now deal with your flooded basement. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/6 "2022-04-29T23:15:18Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > Presumably they have many things they could be doing and choosing one over the other is a cost. There is a cost to ignoring one thing in favor of another. Sure, but I thought the OP was asking about taxpayer dollars. Organizations always have to prioritize resources, and yes, prosecuting these crimes means something down the list is getting less attention. (Congress, on the other hand, probably has a lot of unused capacity since Benghazi investigations have dried up) ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/7 "2022-04-29T23:18:45Z")
Yeah…I really do not get how it cost $521 million to compensate the National Guard. I’d like to see the math on that one. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2022, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/8 "2022-04-29T23:43:13Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > I think it is easy to get north of $1 billion. That is probably about the best guessimate you’re going to get. There are still investigations and prosecutions ongoing, although Congress has itself actually spent relatively little time investigating and holding hearings compared to, say, [investigations and hearings on the 2012 Benghazi attack](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Investigation_into_the_2012_Benghazi_attack). Gotta have priorities, I guess. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/9 "2022-04-30T02:27:04Z")
How much does it cost to replace window glass, doors, and clean up poop from the floor? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/10 "2022-04-30T02:30:03Z")
> [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](#): > > > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > > I think it is easy to get north of $1 billion. > > That is probably about the best guessimate you’re going to get. . . . So, a guesstimate with resolution out to 1 significant digit. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/11 "2022-04-30T02:36:07Z")
At least $2.73 million. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/12 "2022-04-30T02:38:30Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > So, a guesstimate with resolution out to 1 significant digit. Well…what is the question? How much damage was done to the capitol that needed to be repaired? How much was paid to people injured? How much do hundreds of court cases cost? How much was spent upgrading security? How much did the National Guard cost? Lots of ways to do this. (the above is not a comprehensive list) ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2022, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-time-and-money-has-the-january-6th-incident-cost-us-as-taxpayer/963695/13 "2022-04-30T13:46:12Z")
There were also some people killed. How do you assign a “cost” to a human life? That question is actually routinely answered by many different organizations, but the figure can vary considerably.