
The White House on Thursday has peddled a third version of the cocaine story, this time implicating that it was in an area near the “Situation Room,” located near Vice President Kamala Harris’s car.
The White House is now claiming the cocaine was found near the Situation Room” and next to “where, for example, the vice president’s vehicle is parked.” pic.twitter.com/i3SFKvjvo0
— Becker News (@NewsBecker) July 6, 2023
According to the report, the cocaine was discovered just one floor below the Oval Office, in close proximity to the Situation Room. NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell pointed out that access to the area was much more limited than in the second version of the story that came out.
When asked about the incident, Biden’s spokesman, Andrew Bates, declined to exclude Hunter Biden as a potential suspect.
On claims “the cocaine found in the White House had belonged to either the president or his son. Are you willing to say that that’s not the case?”
Mid-level Biden staffer Andrew Bates: “I don’t have a response to that because we have to be careful about the Hatch Act” pic.twitter.com/zuM30v5Fli
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 6, 2023
Unusually, Bates cited a potential violation of the Hatch Act as a defense, purportedly meaning that speaking about it further could have implications for the upcoming election.
The incident raises concerns as it indicates that an individual managed to smuggle a controlled substance into the White House, where such substances are prohibited, and place it near the meeting room where the President of the United States, along with his senior staff and intelligence officials, convene.
A Politico report on Wednesday, however, said the cocaine was found in the West Exec basement entryway to the West Wing, where there are frequent visitors, adding that a law enforcement official claimed it was “unlikely” that the suspect would ever be found.
“But one official familiar with the investigation cautioned that the source of the drug was unlikely to be determined given that it was discovered in a highly trafficked area of the West Wing,” the report claimed.
“The small amount of cocaine was found in a cubby area for storing electronics within the West Exec basement entryway into the West Wing, where many people have authorized access, including staff or visitors coming in for West Wing tours,” the report continued.
Asked what the chances were of finding the suspect, the official said that “it’s gonna be very difficult for us to do that because of where it was.”
“Even if there were surveillance cameras, unless you were waving it around, it may not have been caught” by the cameras, added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity given that it’s an ongoing investigation. “It’s a bit of a thoroughfare. People walk by there all the time.”
But there are host of questions being raised, including conflicting reports based on a dispatch call from the White House on Sunday that indicated that cocaine was found in the executive mansion library, where the president’s son Hunter Biden had access.
The rumors were fueled further when video from July 4th weekend emerged showing Hunter Biden acting extremely unusually, leading to speculation that he may have taken drugs.
As Hunter Biden steps away Joe and Jill look concerned but ignore it in the end. pic.twitter.com/ZwjxcVbVk8
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) July 5, 2023
According to initial reports, the substance was allegedly located near the main floor entrance to the West Wing, an unnamed “insider” claimed to CNN. This area is the pathway through which guided tours of the White House usually proceed to enter the building. It’s also the area where guests are asked to deposit their mobile phones before entering the West Wing. These tours typically take place on weekends.
However, this version is at odds with initial reports, based on a dispatch call that indicated that the cocaine was found in the executive mansion’s library, which would make presidential son Hunter Biden among the likely suspects to have brought the illegal substance onto the White House grounds.
On Tuesday, according to two officials familiar with the matter and an audio recording of a dispatch from a D.C. fire crew, a preliminary test has indicated that the white powder discovered was cocaine.
Guglielmi declined to provide specific details regarding the location within the White House where the substance was found or its packaging. He mentioned that it was discovered by members of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service during their routine rounds in the building.
Miranda Devine of the New York Post reported that the cocaine was found in the library of the executive mansion.
The cocaine was found in the library of the executive mansion, according to the dispatch call @AriFleischer https://t.co/o7gxaSvMul https://t.co/o4hNVsKRIF pic.twitter.com/oaX6UPXu1s
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) July 4, 2023
“The cocaine was found in the library of the executive mansion, according to the dispatch call,” Devine noted.
Ari Fleischer, a former White House Press Secretary, noted that since it was inside the executive mansion, it is likely Hunter Biden.
“You have got to be kidding me,” he said. “Cocaine was found at the WH and authorities aren’t saying exactly where it was found. If it’s the Old Executive Office Building, it’s likely staff. If it’s the mansion, it’s likely Hunter. Reporters do your job.”
During a dispatch at 8:49 PM, a firefighter from the D.C. department’s hazardous materials team reported the test results, stating, “We have a yellow bar saying cocaine hydrochloride.”
This further confirms the reports that surfaced about the incident on Sunday night. The audio transmission was recorded on a website called openmhz.com, which enables live and archived radio transmissions from police and fire departments.
One official involved in the investigation, speaking anonymously due to the ongoing case, confirmed that the 8:49 PM transmission originated from the White House call on Sunday night. The official described the quantity of the substance as small.
The detection of the substance led to a temporary evacuation on Sunday evening, described by the Secret Service as a “safety-driven closure.”
Hunter Biden was last seen on The White House grounds on Friday, when he was spotted climbing into the presidential SUV to join his family at Camp David over the July 4 weekend.
There has been speculation that Hunter Biden now “lives” at the White House, following Joe Biden’s pronouncement that no one will limit Hunter Biden’s visits to the White House. However, the White House has been exposed as keeping Hunter Biden off the visitor logs, despite the Obama administration having recorded his visits.
“Cocaine was found at the White House and Hunter Biden currently lives at the White House,” one commentator remarked. “FBI has no clue who it belongs to. Anyone want to help them?”
Although the president’s son is now reported to be clean, he has struggled in the past with drug addiction. Recently surfaced photos show Hunter Biden appearing to be smoking crack cocaine and driving to Las Vegas at 172 mph.
There are currently no confirmed reports tying Hunter Biden to the White House incident on Sunday. But the Secret Service is allegedly investigating to discover the culprit.
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Source: Becker News Rephrased By: InfoArmed