Colin Jost hosts White House Correspondents Dinner

Table Of Content

• Alerts & Newsletters
• Who left cocaine in the West Wing? The Secret Service says they may never know
• Video
• Suspicious powder found at the White House was cocaine, sources say
• Secret Service probes how a small bag of cocaine got into the White House
• No Presidential Immunity for Personal Crimes Dressed in 'Official' Clothing
• Secret Service ends White House cocaine investigation with no leads
• Protesters Hang Palestinian Flag from Venue Before Joe Biden's Speech

White House press secretary Karine-Jean Pierre said the space is "heavily traveled" by staff and visitors, including those taking tours. Washington — The U.S. Secret Service has closed its investigation into the bag of cocaine that was discovered at the White House earlier this month, but was unable to identify a suspect "due to a lack of physical evidence," the agency said Thursday. The U.S. Secret Service has stopped looking for the owner of a dime bag of cocaine left behind in the White House over the July 4th weekend, closing its investigation because of a lack of physical evidence. The cocaine, contained in a small Ziploc bag, was found in a cubby used by visitors to store cellphones and other personal items before entering the West Wing.

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She successfully served her sentence and completed the terms of her supervised release. Since her release, Dr. Polk has furthered her education, including earning a PhD in public policy and administration. She has also engaged in extensive community service, locally and nationally, and is a respected advocate for the elderly. Colleagues, supervisors, friends, and community members uniformly praise her character and work ethic and consider her a role model, noting her demonstrated commitment to serving others. Washington — Subsequent testing confirmed that a powdery substance discovered by the Secret Service at the White House on Sunday was cocaine, a law enforcement official said Wednesday, as questions linger about how the drug got into the building. "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 Secret Service said.

Who left cocaine in the West Wing? The Secret Service says they may never know

Since then, she has taken classes in hopes of earning her nursing degree and ultimately becoming a registered nurse. Colleagues, friends, and neighbors describe her as resilient, reliable, caring, hard-working, and a role model, and they note her devotion to her family and her studies. The White House "is subject to rigorous guidelines that include drug testing, and so we will take any action that is appropriate and warranted, pending the outcome of the Secret Service," Jean-Pierre told reporters, adding that she wouldn't "get into hypotheticals." We may never know for sure if Roosevelt was given cocaine, because his medical records went missing shortly after his death in 1945 – probably destroyed to cover up evidence that doctors knew how sick he was when running for a fourth term, Gillon says. But the president’s official schedule shows that he regularly met with McIntire for sinus treatments – including a session lasting over an hour on 7 December 1941, after learning of Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.

First on CNN: Secret Service concludes cocaine investigation, no suspect identified - CNN

First on CNN: Secret Service concludes cocaine investigation, no suspect identified.

Posted: Thu, 13 Jul 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

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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. The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated, and that the District of Columbia fire department was called in to evaluate and determine that the substance was not hazardous. Secondary testing of powder found in the West Wing lobby of the White House was confirmed to be cocaine. President Biden was briefed on the investigation and said it is “incredibly important” for the Secret Service to determine how it got there.

An initial test of the white powdery substance found inside the White House on Sunday evening showed it was 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 Secret Service described the location of the substance as "inside a vestibule leading to the lobby area of the West Executive Avenue entrance to the White House." 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.

He served his sentence and completed the terms of his supervised release. Since his release, he has earned two degrees and has steadily worked in the information technology field. He also serves as a mentor and coach for college students, assisting them with developing business plans, marketing plans, and websites. Friends and others attest to his trustworthiness and his dedication to his family and colleagues. Ricky Donnell Tyler– Columbia, South CarolinaRicky Donnell Tyler is a 54-year-old man who was convicted of non-violent drug offenses. Since his release, he has earned a Class A driver’s license and has worked as a truck driver.

Asked about the incident Wednesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that the investigation is under the Secret Service's purview and said she is "confident" they will get to the bottom of the situation. "The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending," he said. The U.S. Secret Service is investigating after a white powder was reportedly found at the White House on Sunday.

It's hardly the first time recreational drugs have entered White House grounds — country music legend Willie Nelson once smoked marijuana with the son of President Jimmy Carter on the building's roof. Additionally, rapper and marijuana enthusiast Snoop Dogg said he once smoked a joint in a White House bathroom. According to the New York Times, the Secret Service is investigating the origins of the substance, which was deemed cocaine by a hazardous materials team following testing. As the investigation continued, many posts claimed without evidence that the cocaine belonged to Hunter Biden, who previously discussed being addicted to crack cocaine in a 2021 memoir. On July 2, 2023, a "suspicious powder" was found inside the White House. Tests later showed the powder was cocaine, according to reputable news publications.

"It's not always easy following President Biden ... like it's not always easy following what he's saying," Jost joked. He also said, "I hope tonight will be a night to remember ... for most of us," in reference to voter response to Biden's age. The "Weekend Update" host from NBC weekly sketch program "Saturday Night Live" brought his punchy brand of comedy — and wife Scarlett Johansson — to the yearly roast of the President of the United States. Jost roasted everyone from Biden to former President Donald Trump's daughter-in-law Lara Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders. Officers found the cocaine during "routine patrols," a Secret Service official said. "If the White House complex is not secure, Congress needs to know the details, as well as your plan to correct any security flaws," Cotton said.

NBC reported the drug was in a small, zippered bag, and that it was unclear how long it had been in the White House. In reality, the cocaine was discovered in a common area of the West Wing, according to several reputable publications, including AP and CBS News. According to Reuters, the West Wing includes the Oval Office, cabinet room and work space for presidential staff. 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.

Since FDR’s days, there have been a few other tales of drugs in the White House. 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." There wasn't enough of either on the bag to draw any conclusions, the Secret Service said in a statement.

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 agency said there was no surveillance footage found that provided investigative leads or other ways for investigators to identify who the cocaine belonged to. Julia Ainsley is homeland security correspondent for NBC News and covers the Department of Homeland Security and the Justice Department for the NBC News Investigative Unit.

In a statement describing the events surrounding the cocaine's discovery, which began July 2, the Secret Service said as part of its review, it compiled a list of "several hundred" people who may have accessed the area where the substance was discovered. But no fingerprints could be found on the cocaine's packaging and there was "insufficient DNA" for "investigative comparisons," the Secret Service said. Alexis Sutton –New Haven, ConnecticutAlexis Sutton is a 33-year-old woman who pleaded guilty to a non-violent drug offense.

Biden’s speech, which lasted about 10 minutes, made no mention of the ongoing war or the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. One of the few mentions came from Kelly O’Donnell, president of the correspondents’ association, who noted the deaths of journalists covering the war. Luckily, the president was able to put it to good use for his State of the Union,” Jost said. Colin Jost swapped his Weekend Update anchor desk for a lectern as the entertainer for this year’s White House correspondents’ dinner, drawing laughs from a crowd of journalists and politicians — as well as Jost’s wife, Scarlett Johansson.

We found social media posts that claimed the cocaine was found in various places around the White House, such as the above-displayed Facebook post that claimed it was found in an area where President Biden often worked. One popular rumor was that the drug was found in the White House library. President Joe Biden was away from the White House when the substance was discovered. The president returned to the White House on Tuesday morning after spending time at Camp David. 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.