A White House spokesman is facing mockery after refusing to rule out that cocaine found in the West Wing belonged to a family member of President Joe Biden.
On Thursday, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates was asked by a reporter about suggestions by conservatives that the cocaine belonged to a Biden family member.
“Are you willing to say that that’s not the case?” the reporter asked.
Bates responded, “I don’t have a response to that because we have to be careful about the Hatch Act.”
Watch the video below:
On claims "the cocaine found in the White House had belonged to either the president or his son. Are you willing to say that that's not the case?"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) July 6, 2023
Mid-level Biden staffer Andrew Bates: "I don't have a response to that because we have to be careful about the Hatch Act" pic.twitter.com/zuM30v5Fli
The Hatch Act is a law that limits federal employees’ participation in political activity.
As Vox explains, “They may not use their ‘official authority or influence for the purpose of interfering with or affecting the result of an election.’ They may not solicit campaign contributions. They may not run for partisan office. And they may not engage in political activity while on duty, while wearing a government uniform or insignia, or while in a government-owned vehicle.”
Several Twitter users questioned how answering the question about the Bidens and cocaine would violate the law.
Conservative writer Jerry Dunleavy tweeted, “That famous Hatch Act provision which doesn’t allow you to say White House cocaine doesn’t belong to the president or his son.”
That famous Hatch Act provision which doesn’t allow you to say White House cocaine doesn’t belong to the president or his son https://t.co/bzpFxS7ZVw
— Jerry Dunleavy IV 🇺🇸 (@JerryDunleavy) July 6, 2023
“That response is so bizarre as to seem drug-induced,” wrote The Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway.
That response is so bizarre as to seem drug-induced … https://t.co/S57FtctUn1
— Mollie (@MZHemingway) July 6, 2023
Conservative writer Emily Zanotti tweeted, “The Hatch Act prevents political actors from engaging in electioneering.”
The Hatch Act prevents political actors from engaging in electioneering. https://t.co/GVIeBV1kfy
— Emily Zanotti 🦝 (@emzanotti) July 6, 2023
The Daily Wire’s Tim Meads tweeted, “Have key members of the Biden White House gone from being insufferable to being pretty funny? Using the Hatch Act to avoid talking about coke found in the White House is a comical move. It’s so outrageous you have to respect it. The delivery is perfect.”
https://twitter.com/TimMeadsUSA/status/1676999773268607000
Earlier this week, the Secret Service confirmed that cocaine was found in the West Wing of the White House.
A law enforcement official told Politico it was unlikely the individual who brought the cocaine into the White House will be discovered as it was found in a highly trafficked area.