Following the discovery of cocaine in the White House, House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman, James Comer (R-KY), has called for a review of the building’s security practices.
On Friday, Comer sent a letter to the United States Secret Service (USSS) Director Kimberly Cheatle, requesting a briefing and more information about the incident.
“The presence of illegal drugs in the White House is unacceptable and a shameful moment in the White House’s history,” Chairman Comer expressed in the letter.
These strong words reflected the shock and disappointment in the wake of the discovery, which led to an evacuation of the White House and unveiled serious concerns about the security measures in place.
“Congress funds White House security procedures, and the Secret Service has a responsibility to maintain effective safety protocols,” Comer highlighted.
He further pointed out the seriousness of the situation, suggesting that this recent incident casts doubt on the level of security maintained at the White House.
In the letter, Comer outlined the Oversight Committee’s authority over USSS operations, stating: “The Committee has oversight jurisdiction over USSS operations.”
The chairman is keen to assess what went wrong and how such an alarming event could occur within one of the nation’s most secured buildings.
“I look forward to additional information from Director Cheatle,” Comer said, anticipating a thorough response from the Secret Service, which is expected to clarify how the cocaine made its way into the White House.
This incident has prompted demands for a re-evaluation of White House security practices, as it’s crucial to identify the failures that led to the unprecedented evacuation and the discovery of the illicit substance.
Chairman Comer, along with the entire Oversight Committee, aims to ensure that the necessary steps are taken to prevent such a security breach in the future.
The white substance found over the weekend at the White House has been confirmed to be the powerful stimulant drug made from the leaves of the coca plant, cocaine.
“We have just learned that a formal lab has confirmed the suspicion that that white powdery substance found in the West Wing on Sunday was in fact positive for cocaine,” MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell reported on Wednesday.
President Joe Biden and his family were not at the White House when the drug was discovered, but a White House pool reporter said they saw Hunter Biden—who struggles with crack cocaine addiction—on White House grounds climbing into a presidential SUV on Friday.
The family members has left for a weekend getaway to Camp David.
Hunter’s infamous laptop he abandoned at a Delaware computer repair shop contained emails detailing influence-peddling involving then-Vice President Joe Biden and videos of the Hunter smoking crack and having sex with prostitutes and his work subordinates.
On Wednesday, Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) sent a letter to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, urging the release of information related to the incident.
In his letter, Cotton pressed Director Cheatle to confirm the location of the found substance within the West Wing, stating, “I urge you to release that information quickly, as the American people deserve to know whether illicit drugs were found in an area where confidential information is exchanged.”
Another White House official has claimed it will be “very difficult” to figure out whose cocaine it is, despite the building being one of the most secure in the world.
