US House Oversight Panel Head Requests Briefing on Cocaine Found in White House - Letter

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The letter requests a staff-level briefing on the situation by July 14.

US House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer on Friday sent a letter to Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle requesting a briefing on the presence of drugs in the White House, after cocaine was found there earlier this week.

"The Committee on Oversight and Accountability is investigating details surrounding the discovery of cocaine in the White House. This alarming development requires the Committee to assess White House security practices and determine whose failures led to an evacuation of the building and finding of the illegal substance," the letter said.

Earlier this week, US Senator Tom Cotton also sent a letter to Cheatle requesting the agency publicly reveal whether the cocaine was found in an area where confidential information is exchanged.

Comer said in the letter that the incident raises additional concerns with the House Oversight Committee regarding the level of security maintained at the White House. The cocaine was found in a storage facility that is routinely used by staff and guests to store cell phones, the letter said, citing a senior law enforcement official.

"The presence of illegal drugs in the White House is unacceptable and a shameful moment in the White House’s history," Comer said in a statement via Twitter.

Congress funds White House security procedures and the House Oversight Committee maintains jurisdiction over Secret Service operations, Comer added.