House Republicans request briefing on cocaine found at White House

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - US House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Friday requested Secret Service to provide a briefing on the cocaine found at the White House.

"In order to assist the Committee with its investigation, please provide a staff level briefing on this matter by July 14, 2023," Comer, who represents Kentucky, wrote in a letter to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.

Noting that his committee is investigating the discovery of cocaine found last week, Comer said in the letter: "This alarming development requires the Committee to assess White House security practices and determine whose failures led to an evacuation of the building and finding of the illegal substance."

The letter demands Secret Service provide additional information and described the presence of the illegal substance as "a shameful moment in the White House's history".

"This incident has raised additional concerns with the Committee regarding the level of security maintained at the White House," it said, requesting them to schedule a briefing.

The US Secret Service is investigating how cocaine was brought into the West Wing, a White House spokeswoman said Wednesday.

She said President Joe Biden and his family were not at the White House during the weekend when the cocaine was reportedly found.

Jean-Pierre also noted that the location where the cocaine was discovered is a “heavily traveled area” where many visitors come through while the NBC reported, citing multiple officials involved in the inquiry, that it was found in a cubby near the White House’s West Executive entrance.