The Biden administration is once again receiving criticism after it invoked the Hatch Act when it comes to questions regarding the cocaine that was found in the White House recently.
Experts were baffled by the Biden administration’s use of the Hatch Act, leading many to believe that the substance may have been from President Joe Biden’s infamous son, Hunter. The Hatch Act is a piece of legislation that prohibits federal employees from talking about or using federal resources for campaign purposes.
During a White House press briefing on Thursday, deputy press secretary Andrew Bates invoked the Hatch Act to avoid questions about whether the cocaine belonged to Biden or his son.
“I don’t have a response to that, because we have to be careful about the Hatch Act,” Bates responded. “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.”
Legal heads such as Attorney Bradley P. Moss said that they are “candidly at a loss as to why Mr. Bates believes the Hatch Act is relevant with respect to addressing that question.”
“I could envision other legitimate bases for declining to respond, such as respecting the integrity of the ongoing investigation, but references to the Hatch Act seem misplaced,” Moss added.
Former Bush administration ethics chief Richard Painter also said that he has “given lectures at the White House” and published articles on the Hatch Act, but the bill “does not cover snorting cocaine.”
“What the —— does the Hatch Act have to do with cocaine?” Painter said in an email. “This is the most ridiculous invocation of the Hatch act I’ve ever heard.”
This comes after the White House was recently evacuated after authorities discovered an “unknown item” on the building’s complex, which was later confirmed to be cocaine.
“U.S. Secret Service Uniform Division Officers located an unknown item on the White House complex,” a USSS spokesperson said. “As a precaution, the White House grounds were evacuated, and the DC Fire Departments Hazmat team responded.”
