Secret Service investigating 'white, powdery substance' found in West Wing

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• NEWS
• National
• More in Celebrity News
• ‘You Little F*cking 26-Year-Old!’ James Carville Torches Young Voters for Not Supporting Biden
• Published July 5, 2023
• Secret Service investigating 'white, powdery substance' found in West Wing
• US Marshal among 4 law enforcement officers killed in shooting near Charlotte — one suspect dead, 2 others detained
• Suspicious powder found at the White House was cocaine, sources say

White House Correspondents’ Association President Kelly O’Donnell introduced the host of the event by displaying some of his high school newspaper clips, which Jost thanked her for upon taking the podium. Colin Jost of Saturday Night Live wasted no time in poking fun at President Joe Biden on Saturday night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The night's end took a serious turn when Jost paid homage to his late grandfather, who the comedian said voted for Biden. My 'Weekend Update' co-anchor Michael Che was going to join me here tonight but in solidarity with President Biden, I decided to lose all my Black support,” he said, referring to his “Weekend Update” co-host and close friend Che.

House Oversight requests Secret Service briefing on White House cocaine - NBC News

House Oversight requests Secret Service briefing on White House cocaine.

Posted: Fri, 07 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

NEWS

The former president has repeatedly warned he could go after Joe Biden — if he wins the 2024 election. Eric Trump suggested that President Joe Biden could someday be indicted over cocaine found at the White House in the summer of 2023 — should the Supreme Court rule presidents do not have total immunity for their time in office. “The only people who are going to benefit are big law firms in Washington, DC, because they are going to go after every single president. They will start with Obama, Fast and Furious, right, where he gives 2,000 weapons to cartel members,” Eric Trump mused. By mounting the presidential immunity challenge, the elder Trump managed to delay the 2020 election subversion trial, which was supposed to commence on March 4. Last Thursday, the Supreme Court heard a landmark case in which former President Donald Trump, 77, claimed that presidents enjoy absolute immunity for their official actions, and therefore the courts should toss out his four-count 2020 election indictment.

National

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Colin Jost had his work cut out for him at the 2024 White House Correspondents' dinner. The Saturday Night Live writer and Weekend Update cohost delivered the gala's keynote roast Saturday, tackling many topics, from the state of print media and Donald Trump's multiple trials to the upcoming election and our current president doing cocaine.

More in Celebrity News

That decision could mean relegating the matter back to the lower courts to iron out certain aspects of the case, such as the distinction between private and official actions. Echoing the former president’s legal team, Eric Trump cautioned that without immunity protecting former commanders-in-chief, overzealous prosecutors could have a field day. The Trump scion further cautioned that if his father fails to win his bid for absolute immunity then the floodgates could be open to a flurry of prosecutions against other presidents. Later, in an email to Snopes, he confirmed the cocaine wasn't found in a library and was instead found "in an area of the West Wing." 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. President Biden and first lady Dr. Jill Biden were not at the White House when the cocaine was found, as they spent the weekend at Camp David before returning for Fourth of July festivities.

The saga over the cocaine began just before the Fourth of July, when the White House was temporarily closed after an "unknown item" was discovered by Secret Service officers on July 2. A preliminary test conducted by the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department soon after the substance was found indicated it was cocaine. The agency, along with the FBI, tested the packet to determine it was cocaine and looked for any fingerprints or DNA evidence. Video footage of the area where the baggie was found also provided no evidence to narrow the possible suspects beyond a list of roughly 500 staff members and visitors who passed through during a weekend earlier this month. A person familiar with the investigation said that the baggie was found near an area where guests are screened for security and leave their phones in small cubbies. The Secret Service would not say where exactly the substance was found in the lobby or whether the agency was working with the White House to review guest logs.

Published July 5, 2023

"It's deeply frustrating," Rep. Nancy Mace, a South Carolina Republican, told reporters. "This is one of the most secure locations in the world, some of the best law enforcement  officers in the world. And they don't have any answers." 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.

Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to answer when she was asked at Wednesday's briefing which of the two West Wing entrances was involved, saying she would let the Secret Service address that. 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. The substance was located inside a receptacle used to temporarily store electronic and personal devices prior to entering the West Wing.

US Marshal among 4 law enforcement officers killed in shooting near Charlotte — one suspect dead, 2 others detained

White House staffers frequently give guests tours of the West Wing, often at night and over the weekend. Guests must pass through security before entering the White House complex and then are asked to leave phones in small cubbies. A small amount of a white powdery substance was found in the White House on Sunday evening, according to a person familiar with the episode, and an initial test by emergency response workers determined that it was cocaine. Secondary testing of powder found in the West Wing lobby of the White House was confirmed to be cocaine.

Suspicious powder found at the White House was cocaine, sources say

"Without physical evidence, 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," the agency said. "At this time, the Secret Service's investigation is closed due to a lack of physical evidence." The Secret Service is not ruling out any White House personnel, guests or visitors.

The bag containing the cocaine remains in a federal laboratory, where it will be tested for DNA and fingerprints, the official said. An initial test of the white powdery substance found inside the White House on Sunday evening showed it was cocaine. President Joe Biden and his family were at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland, not the White House, when officers discovered the cocaine. On July 12, the Secret Service received the FBI’s laboratory results, which did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons. Therefore, the Secret Service is not able to compare evidence against the known pool of individuals. "The last time I was in D.C. I left my cocaine at the White House," said Jost, referring to the mysterious bag of the drug found there last July.

The Secret Service received results Wednesday from tests conducted by the FBI, “which did not develop latent fingerprints and insufficient DNA was present for investigative comparisons,” the Secret Service said in a statement Thursday. Security camera video was also reviewed, but "[t]here was no surveillance video footage that produced investigative leads," the agency said. WASHINGTON — The mystery of who brought cocaine into the White House remains unsolved. 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. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Biden has been briefed on the incident and noted the area where the cocaine was discovered is "heavily traveled" by visitors. 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.

Anyone who comes through the White House must give identifying information and pass through security before entering. The cocaine and packaging underwent further forensics testing, including advanced fingerprint and DNA work at the FBI’s crime laboratory, according to the summary. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said President Joe Biden believed it was “incredibly important” for the Secret Service to get to the bottom of how the drugs ended up in the White House. The Secret Service is responsible for securing the White House and led the investigation. The presence of cocaine at the White House prompted a flurry of criticism and questions from Republicans, who received a closed briefing Thursday on the results of the investigation.

The substance was found Sunday evening in a small zippered bag in a highly trafficked part of the West Wing and prompted a brief evacuation, a Secret Service official said. The Secret Service is running the investigation, which will include consulting cameras and entrance logs, the official added. The probe could take about two weeks, and officials caution that there may not be a resolution if no forensic material is found to identify someone. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre described the location as “highly traveled,” saying, “West Wing visitors come through this particular area.” She said staff-led tours were held Friday, Saturday and Sunday before the drug was found.

No charges were brought because the amounts were legal under Washington law at the time. The people were notified that they could not bring the marijuana to the White House campus, the officials said. More testing was done to review the chemical composition of the powder, the statement continued.

The complex was briefly evacuated as a precaution when the white powder was found. The fire department was called in to test the substance on the spot to determine whether it was hazardous, and the initial test came back negative for a biohazard but positive for cocaine. While the investigation will try to determine who is responsible for the item, the source acknowledged that could be difficult given the number of people who transit the location and said it is unknown how long the bag had been there. The substance was found in a common space where employees and visitors can store phones and personal items that are not taken into other parts of the West Wing.