In a recent development, the U.S. House Oversight Committee, led by Chairman James Comer, has demanded a detailed briefing from the U.S. Secret Service regarding the discovery of cocaine within the White House premises.
Comer, a Republican from Kentucky, has expressed his deep concern over this incident, describing it as a disgraceful event in the history of the White House.
In a letter addressed to Secret Service Director Kim Cheatle, Comer has requested a staff-level briefing on the incident by the following week. He emphasized the need for the committee to evaluate the security measures in place at the White House and identify the lapses that led to the evacuation of the building and the subsequent discovery of the illicit substance.
The exact location of the cocaine discovery has been a subject of conflicting reports. Initial reports suggested that the substance was found in the White House library. However, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre later clarified that the cocaine was found in a frequently visited area of the West Wing. Further reports indicated that the substance was discovered near the West Executive entrance, a location with higher security than previously believed.
The incident, which occurred while President Biden and his family were at Camp David, is currently under investigation by the Secret Service. The discovery has intensified the scrutiny faced by the Biden administration, particularly from Republican critics who have previously accused the president of being influenced by his son Hunter Biden’s past foreign business connections.
In response to the incident, Senator Tom Cotton, a Republican from Arkansas, has also written to the Secret Service demanding more information. He stressed the need for Congress to be informed about the details of the incident and any potential security flaws, as well as the plans to rectify them.
