The Secret Service can't figure out who left cocaine in the West Wing : NPR

Table Of Content

• 'I'm also used to being the Second Gentleman,' Colin Jost says about wife Scarlett Johansson
• Office of Communication and Media Relations
• Colin Jost’s 5 Best Lines at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner
• Lab test confirms white substance found at the White House is cocaine
• ‘Stormy weather’: Biden skewers Trump at White House correspondents’ dinner

The president was briefed on the incident, and the discovery of the cocaine prompted questions from Republicans in the House. Oversight Committee chairman James Comer said last week his panel will assess the White House's security practices, and the Secret Service on Thursday provided a closed-door briefing for the committee. The Secret Service on Thursday announced it had closed its investigation into who left a small packet of cocaine in the White House without finding the culprit, and a spokesman for the agency told NBC News it did so without conducting interviews. Jean-Pierre reiterated that the cocaine was found in a heavily traveled area that visitors often transit and noted that staff-sponsored tours were held on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

'I'm also used to being the Second Gentleman,' Colin Jost says about wife Scarlett Johansson

Secret Service investigates cocaine found at White House - BBC.com

Secret Service investigates cocaine found at White House.

Posted: Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

The Secret Service investigation has concluded with no usable forensic or video evidence identifying the person responsible, three Secret Service officials familiar with the investigation said. WASHINGTON — Multiple officials involved in the White House cocaine inquiry now say the bag of powder was found in a cubby near the White House's West Executive entrance, not the formal West Wing lobby, as was previously reported. But the jovial mood inside the room contrasted sharply with raucous demonstrations outside the Washington Hilton hotel.

Office of Communication and Media Relations

After that news broke, social media posts about the discovery rapidly spread, with various degrees of legitimacy. We found posts on Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, and Facebook making various claims about where the illicit substance was found and to whom it allegedly belonged. For instance, the below-displayed post claimed the cocaine was found in an area often occupied by U.S.

Colin Jost’s 5 Best Lines at the 2024 White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Fire was called to evaluate the substance and determined it was "non-hazardous." The discovery of the "unknown item" prompted a "precautionary closure" of the White House, Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi acknowledged in a statement Tuesday. Unlike some other federal entities, the Secret Services does not have drug-sniffing dogs.

More testing was done to review the chemical composition of the powder, the statement continued. The unusual breach of White House security was found July 2 when a uniformed Secret Service officer spotted a small plastic baggie in a storage cubby at the West Executive Avenue entrance on the ground level. Visitors, contractors, military personnel and staff members use the storage cubbies to drop off electronic devices and personal items not permitted in some areas of the West Wing. The vestibule is near the Situation Room, which is out of service for renovations; an alternative secure meeting room is being used for classified briefings during construction. WASHINGTON — The mystery of who brought cocaine into the White House remains unsolved.

Cocaine is a powerful vasoconstrictor, which means it tightens blood vessels, unlike many other topical anesthetics, which loosen blood vessels and can make bleeding worse. And in the 1930s and 1940s, when Roosevelt held office, the go-to treatment for nasal swelling was a watered-down cocaine solution, applied by a cotton swab, to quickly shrink and numb a patient’s nasal tissue, before inserting a needle to drain out sinus fluid. Chances are it’s not the first time – and the drug could well have been used by at least one past president, according to a leading presidential historian. NBC reported the "blurry timeline" could make it difficult for investigators to identify a source.

Lab test confirms white substance found at the White House is cocaine - NBC News

Lab test confirms white substance found at the White House is cocaine.

Posted: Wed, 05 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

‘Stormy weather’: Biden skewers Trump at White House correspondents’ dinner

CNN first reported that the investigation had concluded without finding a suspect. “The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said. Biden and his family left for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday. The U.S. Secret Service takes its mission to protect U.S. leaders, facilities, and events seriously and we are constantly adapting to meet the needs of the current and future security environment.

Kristi Noem's Dog Killing Mocked at White House Correspondents' Dinner

Since his release, Mr. Mosley started a business, manages rental properties, and works as a realtor. He is described as generous and deeply committed to his family, his employees, and his community. Mr. Mosley regularly donates to school and local police department fundraising events, provides groceries and other necessities to those in need, and supports new businesses. The Secret Service is leading a full review of how the substance got into the West Wing, law enforcement officials said, including examining cameras and entrance logs to determine who had access to the space.

President Joe Biden, while other posts asserted that the drug was left behind by his son, Hunter Biden. It was found in a zip-close bag near an entrance where visitors taking tours are directed to leave their phones, the official said. "The investigation will not be able to single out a person of interest from the hundreds of individuals who passed through the vestibule where the cocaine was discovered," Secret Service officials said. While awaiting the FBl's results, the Secret Service investigation into how this item entered the White House continued. The investigation included a methodical review of security systems and protocols.

Comer, a Kentucky Republican, later said in a statement that the Secret Service needs to reassess its security operations to ensure illegal substances do not enter the White House. Lawmakers who attended the briefing confirmed that the Secret Service's investigation will conclude with no determination of who the cocaine belonged to, leaving Republicans exasperated and with more questions. Chuck Rosenberg, a former U.S. attorney and acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration under then-President Barack Obama, said law enforcement agencies need to consider their resources when making decisions about who and what to investigate. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., sent a letter Wednesday asking Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle for more information about the investigation.

The sample was sent to the Department of Homeland Security’s National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center at Fort Detrick, Maryland, the Secret Service statement said. That testing confirmed it was cocaine and determined it was not a biological threat like anthrax or ricin. Two senior law enforcement officials told CBS News that there was 207.6 milligrams, or .007 ounces, of cocaine discovered, according to an FBI analysis. White House Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed to reporters on July 5, 2023, that there had been tours during the weekend the cocaine was discovered at the White House, including tours held on the same day. "Where this was discovered is a heavily traveled area where many White House -- West Wing, I should be even more specific, West Wing visitors come through this particular area," Jean-Pierre said.

Bobby Darrell Lowery– Jackson, MississippiBobby Darrell Lowery is a 50-year-old man who was convicted of a non-violent drug offense at the age of 25. He served his sentence and successfully completed the terms of his probation. Since his release, Mr. Lowery has maintained steady employment and actively volunteers at his church and at various community-based organizations. Friends and colleagues praise his work ethic, dedication to his family, and strong moral character.Jesse Mosley– Ponchatoula, LouisianaJesse Mosley is a 42-year-old man who pleaded guilty to non-violent drug offenses at the age of 19. Had Mr. Mosley been sentenced under current law and sentencing practices today, he would have received a significantly lower sentence.