The Secret Service said on Monday that it "disposed of" the cocaine found at the White House last year, addressing a report about supposed internal conflicts over its fate after a partial DNA match was found. Former Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle and other senior officials wanted the cocaine to be destroyed before further testing could be conducted.
Real Clear Politics reported on Monday that several intense confrontations and disputes erupted after the bag of cocaine was found in a West Wing locker on July 2, 2023. However, the Secret Service vehemently denies this account, claiming that the investigation into the cocaine was conducted appropriately and it wasn't destroyed intentionally.
Secret Move by Secret Service
"The evidence from that investigation was disposed of in accordance with retention policies," Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in an email.
Guglielmi did not specify the exact retention policy, but broadly dismissed the allegations presented by three sources to RealClearPolitics as "false." According to their report, President Biden's then-Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle wanted the cocaine destroyed but faced internal resistance.
Cheatle was reportedly "really pissed off" when her request was rejected by subordinates who pointed to protocols requiring the evidence to be kept for seven years, according to the publication.
Two sources told the outlet that Cheatle, or someone under her direction, contacted the agency's forensics division vault supervisor, Matt White, instructing him to dispose of the evidence because leadership wanted to close the case.
Three sources connected to the Secret Service told RealClearPolitics that DNA was recovered from the partially used dime bag, resulting in a "partial hit" in a national database after the drug was found on July 2, 2023 — two days after a gathering of the Biden family.
The Secret Service closed its investigation just 11 days after finding the cocaine, without interviewing any potential suspects, giving the impression that the agency was not interested in uncovering the details of the embarrassing incident.
It remains unclear when exactly the agency destroyed the small bag of cocaine — which likely cost its owner less than $100 — or whether there was any effort to follow up on the alleged DNA partial match.
Reason Still Unclear
Cheatle's supposed interest in disposing of the evidence is noteworthy partly because she was appointed to her position following advocacy from First Lady Jill Biden and her senior aide Anthony Bernal, who acts as a key intermediary between the Biden family and officials.
White's superior, Glenn Dennis, the chief of the Secret Service's forensics division, reportedly conferred with acting chief Richard Macauley of the agency's Uniformed Division and decided against destroying the cocaine.
"[The] protocol is, whether you act on the [DNA] hit or not, we still have to maintain evidence for a period of up to seven years," one source told RealClearPolitics. "It became a big to-do."
"A decision was made not to get rid of the evidence, and it really pissed off Cheatle," a source told the outlet.
Cheatle resigned on July 23 following security lapses that led to an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.
Guglielmi did not directly address the report's claim about a partial DNA match or the possibility that Macauley faced retaliation, such as being overlooked for a promotion, due to his resistance to destroying the cocaine.
The cocaine was found in a locker used for cellphones and personal items on the lower level of the West Wing, near the Situation Room.
This finding led to widespread speculation about possible involvement by a member of the Biden family, although the White House dismissed such speculation as "irresponsible."
Biden's adult children, Hunter Biden, 54, and Ashley Biden, 43, have both had issues with cocaine in the past. Also, the 81-year-old president's political opponents have made light-hearted jokes suggesting that the elder Biden, known for his sobriety, might have used the drug to explain his unusually energetic and clear-headed public appearances.
