WASHINGTON ― The Secret Service on Thursday announced that it has closed its investigation into cocaine discovered at the White House without finding a culprit.
During a routine security check earlier this month, the Secret Service found a bag of white powder in a cubby where visitors and staff members stash belongings.
In a press release Thursday, the agency said it conducted an extensive review that identified hundreds of possible suspects, but not enough clues to narrow its search.
An analysis by the FBI’s crime lab couldn’t turn up fingerprints or DNA from the cocaine “packaging” ― apparently a plastic bag ― and surveillance footage didn’t help identify anyone who might have left the cocaine behind.
“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, which protects the president but also conducts criminal investigations as part of its mission, briefed lawmakers on Capitol Hill Thursday morning before announcing its findings publicly.
Republicans were outraged no suspect was found and even suggested, without evidence, that something fishy was going on ― as if the Secret Service were trying to protect the former owner of the 0.7 grams of cocaine.
“It’s just interesting that every time there’s something strange going on with President [Joe] Biden or his family, or his administration in the White House, no one can ever seem to find an answer,” Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told reporters, apparently referring to Republicans’ own failure to find evidence linking the president to crimes.
“Unacceptable,” tweeted Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.). “It’s time to investigate the investigators.”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) said the Secret Service should have drug tested each of the visitors who went through the White House within the relevant timeframe, meaning the government would have to collect urine samples from 500 people.
“This is a failure of this investigation to not perform a drug test on these people,” Greene said.
Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.) mocked that idea. “These are the same people who are opposed to COVID-19 tests, so I don’t see a lot of coherence in the criticism,” he said.
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), who last week asked the Secret Service a set of questions about the people who have access to the White House, complained on Twitter.
“High schools can figure out when kids brings marijuana, but the White House can’t figure out who brought a bag of cocaine? What a joke,” Cotton said.