The White House released a third version of the cocaine story Thursday, this time implying that it was in an area near the “Situation Room,” located near Vice President Kamala Harris’ car.
The White House now claims 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, very close to the Situation Room. NBC reporter Andrea Mitchell noted 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 spokesman Andrew Bates declined to rule out Hunter Biden as a possible suspect.
About the claims “the cocaine found in the White House belonged to the president or his son. Are you willing to say it doesn’t?”
Mid-level Biden staffer Andrew Bates: “I don’t have an answer because we have to be careful with the Hatch Act” pic.twitter.com/zuM30v5Fli
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 6, 2023
Unusually, Bates cited a possible violation of the Hatch Act as a defense, which allegedly means that talking about it further could have implications for the next 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. , call together.
A Politico report on Wednesday, however, said the cocaine was found at the West Exec basement entrance in the West Wing, where there are frequent visitors, adding that a law enforcement official claimed that it was “unlikely” the suspect would ever be found.
“But an official familiar with the investigation cautioned that the source of the drug was unlikely to be determined given that it was discovered in a high-traffic area of the West Wing,” the report states.
“The small amount of cocaine was found in an electronics storage area at the West Exec basement entrance in the West Wing, where many people have authorized access, including staff or visitors coming in to do visits to the West Wing,” the report continued.
Asked what the chances were of finding the suspect, the officer said “it’s going to be very difficult for us to do that because of where he was.”
“Even if there were surveillance cameras, unless you were moving it, it may not have been caught” by the cameras, added the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. . “It’s a bit of a road. People pass by there all the time.”
But many questions remain, including conflicting reports based on a call from the White House on Sunday that cocaine was found in the executive mansion library, where the president’s son, Hunter Biden, had access.
The rumors were further fueled when a video emerged from the 4th of July weekend showing Hunter Biden acting extremely unusual, leading to speculation that he may have taken drugs.
As Hunter Biden walks away, Joe and Jill look concerned, but ultimately ignore it. pic.twitter.com/ZwjxcVbVk8
— Big Fish (@BigFish3000) July 5, 2023
According to initial reports, the substance was allegedly located near the entrance to the main floor of the west wing, an unnamed “insider” told CNN. This area is the path that guided tours of the White House usually take to enter the building. This is also the area where guests are asked to deposit their cell phone before entering the West Wing. These visits usually take place on weekends.
However, this version is at odds with initial reports, based on a call that cocaine was found in the library of the executive mansion, which would make presidential son Hunter Biden among the likely suspects of carrying the substance illegal in the White House. reasons
On Tuesday, according to two officials familiar with the matter and an audio recording of a dispatch from a D.C. fire crew, preliminary evidence indicated that the white powder discovered was cocaine.
Guglielmi declined to provide specific details about the location in the White House where the substance was found or its packaging. He mentioned that he was discovered by members of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service during their routine rounds of the building.
Miranda Devine of the New York Post reported that the cocaine was found in the library of the executive mansion.
Cocaine was found in the library of the executive mansion, according to the office 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 he was inside the executive mansion, Hunter Biden is likely.
“You’ve 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 personal. If it’s the mansion, it’s likely Hunter. The journalists do your job.”
During a dispatch at 8:49 p.m., a firefighter from the D.C. department’s hazmat team reported the test results, stating, “We have a yellow bar that says cocaine hydrochloride.”
This further confirms the reports that emerged about the incident on Sunday night. The audio broadcast was recorded on a website called openmhz.com, which allows live and archived radio transmissions from police and fire departments.
An official involved in the investigation, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing case, confirmed that the 8:49 p.m. broadcast originated from the White House call on Sunday night. The officer described the amount of the substance as small.
The detection of the substance prompted a temporary evacuation Sunday evening, described by the Secret Service as a “security shutdown.”
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 for the Fourth of July weekend.
There has been speculation that Hunter Biden now “lives” in the White House, following Joe Biden’s statement 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 records, despite the fact that the Obama administration has recorded his visits.
“Cocaine was found in the White House and Hunter Biden currently lives in the White House,” commented one commenter. “The FBI has no idea who it belongs to. Anyone want to help them?”
Although the president’s son is now reported to be clean, he has struggled with drug addiction in the past. Recently surfaced photographs show Hunter Biden appearing to be smoking crack cocaine and driving through Las Vegas at 172 mph.
There are currently no confirmed reports linking Hunter Biden to the incident at the White House on Sunday. But the Secret Service is allegedly investigating to find the culprit.
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