The conservative media and certain Republican legislators have developed a new drug obsession after the U.S. Secret Service revealed that its agents found small amounts of cannabis in the West Wing on two occasions last year in addition to the recent cocaine they discovered.
Ever since cocaine was identified in the West Wing, which was disclosed to lawmakers during a closed briefing earlier this month, the news cycle has been filled with routine updates on the status of the Secret Service investigation–fueled by speculation around the unsubstantiated possibility that it belonged to President Joe Biden’s son Hunter, who has openly discussed his past addiction to crack cocaine.
The Secret Service ended its investigation in 2022 without being able track down the owner. However, they have revived the story by revealing that cannabis was discovered twice at the White House.
The story of a visitor or employee bringing cannabis into the White House is treated by the right as though it were a new scandal.
Rep. Roger Williams, R-TX, for example, said to NewsMax that finding cocaine and marijuana in the White House undermines the public’s trust in the “system.” He also said that “the discovery of marijuana and cocaine in the White House is a serious challenge to the President and his health.”
He said, “Frankly I’d think the Secret Service would be interested in knowing because they are there to protect President Obama, and having cocaine and marijuana at the White House is not good for that.”
Williams said that the cocaine “probably”, belonged to Hunter Biden. “But I guess we cannot prove this.”
Sen. Tom Cotton, a well-known drug warrior from Arkansas, also commented on the latest developments.
He said that high schools could identify when a child brought marijuana but the White House couldn’t tell who had brought cocaine. This was a ridiculous suggestion, implying that schools were somehow able determine each time a student carried cannabis. What a joke.
The White House is unable to determine who brought cocaine into the White House, even though high schools are able to identify when children bring marijuana.
What a joke!
Tom Cotton (@TomCottonAR 13 July 2023
Secret Service has told Fox News, “the weight of the marijuana confiscated didn’t meet the legal threshold to be charged with federal crimes or D.C. misdemeanors criminal charges as the District of Columbia decriminalized the possession of cannabis.”
A spokesperson stated that “the marijuana was collected and destroyed” in both cases. The cannabis in each case weighed less than 0.02 ounces.
Federal law, while allowing for discretion in law enforcement and prosecution, considers the possession of marijuana of any amount to be illegal. A first offense is punishable with a $1,000 fine or up to a year of prison. Biden said that no one should go to jail for simple marijuana possession. He also pardoned those who committed the federal crime last year.
Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, said that the Secret Service found marijuana twice in the White House in 2022. Why is this only now being heard by the public?
In 2022, the Secret Service found marijuana twice at the White House.
Why are we only hearing about it now?
Sen. Marsha Blackburn 13 July 2023 HTML0
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-CO, claimed that “there were not scandals to this extent when President Trump was president.” She also asked “What type of people will Joe Biden bring into the White House?”
She also suggested that White House staffers be drug-tested, a proposal that Rep. Jamie Raskin D-MD called unrealistic.
Raskin, who had previously sponsored legislation to prevent denials of security clearances due to cannabis, explained:
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-GA, tweeted this week that, “the entire Biden Family, especially Hunter, Joe and all staff should take a drug screen, including to screen for cocaine.”
Employees are required to undergo drug testing in the real world.
Remember how you were required to pass a COVID before doing anything?
All staff, including Hunter and Joe Biden, should be tested for cocaine, as well as the entire Biden family.
Usually former or current drug… pic.twitter.com/kmiyL2ne4l
Marjorie Taylor Greene
@mtgreenee July 10, 2020
It is not the first instance that cannabis has been introduced to the White House. Snoop Dogg , a marijuana icon and rapper, said that in 2014 he had secretly smoked a blunt in a West Wing bathroom during the Obama administration.
Former President Jimmy Carter talked about the time that he and his son Willie Nelson smoked marijuana in the White House during his administration.
Photo by Chris Wallis // Side Pocket Images.
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