So now that we know the “results” of the US Secret Service investigation into the White House cocaine, it is worth re-visiting the methodology that should’ve been followed (note: we posted some of the below last week).
First, pull all internal and external security video and immediately start doing interviews, before people get their stories straight.
As has been reported before, the White House upgraded its camera systems in 2018. Even so, the reporting is that the West Wing video system is non-existent (in a “public” area? Really?).
(“The Curious Case of the White House Coke” continues…)
Also, USSS needs to immediately collect and dump all government-issued cell phones of the White House staff (all the personnel will have a .gov email address and government phone). There is no expectation of privacy in government phones -- USSS won't even need search warrants, so they can move quickly.
Get these phones immediately, before anyone messes with the data and apps on them. The phones have positioning data and apps that will tell who was where, and when.
Just as in the Alex Murdaugh and Idaho murders, the phones alone could solve this.
Lastly: Test for DNA on the container. Yes, DNA. This is the White House we’re talking about here, not some club kid who dropped his stash in the men’s room. Get the DNA.
Then get voluntary swabs from all relevant personnel. Promise to destroy the samples once comparison is done. Anyone who refuses is suspect.
Ping the DNA through the public genealogical databases (assuming it doesn’t hit in the government database first). Recall, this is how Idaho cops first got onto Bryan Kohberger. You may well hit a relative in one of the commercial databases — thereby narrowing down your pool of possibles.
Of course, dust the baggie for prints.
Lastly: Drug test every employee. These don’t have to be individually done. You can do the hair testing in big groups. Then, if that group shows dirty, you can break out the individual components to zero in on your suspect.
This case is solve-able. If we don’t get answers, then at the least we need to know exactly what investigative steps were taken, and why they didn’t lead to a specific person.
And further: We need to know how security in the White House could allow for something like this. No matter how you cut it, this is an embarrassment and a genuine fail. We need to know what went wrong, and how it is being fixed.
Note to America: Don’t hold your breath.
The USSS job one is protecting POTUS period. POTUS sets the perimeters and the Service complies. If they don’t comply with POTUS or his political staff demands… you’ll find yourself off the WH detail and doing credit card fraud cases in Cleveland.