WASHINGTON — House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has requested a Secret Service briefing on the recent discovery of a bag of cocaine at the White House.
In a letter sent Friday to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, Comer, R-Ky., said he wanted a staff-level briefing by the end of next week as his committee seeks more details about the cocaine that was found in a highly trafficked part of the West Wing on Sunday, prompting a brief evacuation.
“This alarming development requires the Committee to evaluate the White House’s security practices and determine what failures led to the evacuation of the building and the discovery of the illegal substance,” Comer wrote.
“The presence of illegal drugs in the White House is unacceptable and a shameful moment in White House history,” he added.
In an accompanying statement, Comer said the incident “and the eventual evacuation of staff now clearly raises concerns about the level of security being maintained at the White House.”
President Joe Biden and his family were at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, when the cocaine was discovered, the White House said.
While previous reports indicated that the powder was found in the formal lobby of the West Wing, several officials involved in the investigation said Thursday that it was discovered in a cubicle near the West Executive Entrance of the White House.
Two sources familiar with the investigation said Thursday that the Secret Service is expected to complete its investigation Monday, before the initial deadline.
An official familiar with the investigation said Wednesday that the agency would consult cameras and entry logs and check the small zippered bag containing the cocaine for DNA, fingerprints and a full chemical analysis at a federal laboratory. Authorities warned that it may not be possible to identify who left it there if no identifiable forensic material is found.
Senator Tom Cotton, Republican of Arkansas, made his own request on Wednesday for Cheatle to divulge more details and answer a series of questions about White House security procedures.
“If the White House complex is not secure, Congress must know the details, as well as your plan to correct any security flaws,” Cotton said in a letter, requesting responses by July 14.
