We’ve been reporting on what seems like the ever-evolving story of the cocaine found at the White House.
While what we are told about the place it was found seems to keep changing, what remains the same is the seeming commitment to a lack of transparency on the subject that we’re getting from the Biden administration.
Exactly what would have prevented them from telling the truth about where it was found on the first day of this saga? As I wrote earlier, there was a great question from a reporter on Wednesday to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, “Can you explain why you can’t explain [exactly where it was found]?”
What are they trying to hide, when they refuse to say exactly where it was found? They’re not keeping it from the culprit; the culprit knows where he/she left it. The only people they’re keeping it from is us. There’s no justification for not being straight with us.
The latest responses from White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates show how little they think of us–and our right to know what’s going on here.
First, he said they didn’t have any new details.
“To be transparent with you, I do not have additional information” to add to what White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Wednesday. Sure, he’s not going to comment on the ever-evolving story, and how it changed yet again.
When a reporter asked, “If the Secret Service is able to determine the individual responsible [for bringing cocaine into the White House]…will the White House commit to transparency…in making that information public?”
A simple, direct question. Are you going to tell us who it is, if you are able to figure it out? The only acceptable response should be, “Of course, we will be completely transparent.” But that isn’t what Bates said.
Bates said he was going to “defer” to the Secret Service, “I’m just not going to engage on hypotheticals.”
At this point, they’re not even willing to say they’ll tell us who it is if they find out. This is just unacceptable, and needs to be called out by Congress and the media as unacceptable. This happened inside the people’s house, and we are entitled to know. Such a response is just shameful.
But it got worse. Bates was asked if he had anything to say about the speculation from former President Donald Trump, among others, that the cocaine might belong to Joe Biden or Hunter Biden. “Are you willing to say that that’s not the case?”
Again, simple question. The White House should have a very simple answer to that, right? “Of course it doesn’t belong to Joe or Hunter.” But again, Bates refused to give that straight answer.
Bates responded, “I don’t have a response to that because we have to be careful about the Hatch Act.”
He then went on to talk about Trump–and probably violated the Hatch Act with the remarks he ended up making anyway. “What I will say is that I have noticed there does seem to be some increasing frustration coming from that corner in general, and I think it is probably rooted in the contrast between their substantive policy records.”
So much for his excuse not to give a straight answer — he just attacked Trump specifically, over policies. That sure looks like a problem with the Hatch Act to me. Translation: he doesn’t give a darn about the Hatch Act, he’s just trying to avoid the Hunter question.
Not to mention, how humorous that Bates thinks he can attack Trump–when Trump’s policies are far superior to Biden’s and everyone knows it. They feel it in their pocketbooks every day.
The Biden White House doesn’t think they have any obligation to tell us anything; they’ve completely thrown transparency out the window.