Politics
Cocaine at the White House? Republicans in Florida and elsewhere respond, demand answers
Meantime, the Biden administration says the matter is under investigation by the Secret Service.
The cocaine was found in a cubby near the White House West Executive entrance. Samuel Corum/Getty Images
House and Senate Republicans are seeking a briefing from the Secret Service about the cocaine found at the White House, citing concerns about security on the complex.
The White House was evacuated on Sunday evening when the president and his family were out of town after the Secret Service discovered what was later confirmed to be cocaine, the Associated Press reported.
It was found in a cubby near the White House West Executive entrance over the weekend which was a different location from where it was originally reported to be, NBC News reported on Thursday. This was still a “heavily trafficked area” like the first one, according to the report.
“The presence of illegal drugs in the White House is unacceptable and a shameful moment in the White House’s history,” Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., chair of the House Oversight and Accountability Committee, wrote to a Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle on Friday.
This has raised “concerns with the committee regarding the level of security maintained at the White House.” His committee is seeking a briefing by July 14.
Also, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee's criminal justice and counterterrorism panel, sent a letter to Cheatle on Wednesday asking for answers to a list of questions as well as a briefing by July 14.
“If the White House complex is not secure, Congress needs to know the details, as well as your plan to correct any security flaws,” wrote the senator.
Special Agent Steve Kopek, a Secret Service spokesperson, said they received the inquires and "since this is an open and active investigation, we are communicating with the Committees and working through appropriate channels to identify what may be responsive to the requests. “
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday the drugs were found in a “heavily traveled area where many…West Wing visitors come through.”
The matter was under investigation by the Secret Service, so she and other officials have cited that when asked further questions.
Meantime, Florida Gov. and 2024 GOP presidential candidate Ron DeSantis poked fun at Biden last week during an interview with Tomi Lahren on Outkick.
"Well, I've long believed, I think a lot of us have believed, that the Biden administration's been blowing it on a lot of fronts, but I guess it's a little bit more literal than even I had thought," he said.
"I could tell you in Florida, my wife and I, we have a six, five and a three year old running around the Governor's Mansion, so that's not something that we see," he added. "We do have to occasionally get slime out of the carpet and get marker off the wallpaper, but that's the extent of our adventures at the mansion."
U.S. Sen. Rick Scott tweeted, "Drugs have been pouring into our cities because of Biden’s open borders. Guess it was just a matter of time until they made it to the White House."
And former President Donald Trump, another Florida man and Republican contender for the Oval Office, placed blame on the Biden family in a mocking Truth Social post. Trump, as is his wont, offered no evidence for his claim.
City & State's Jim Rosica contributed. A version of this story was first published on Government Executive.