Experts are baffled by the Biden administration invoking the Hatch Act when asked if President Joe Biden or his son Hunter Biden owned the cocaine found at the White House. The culprit behind the White House’s July cocaine snowstorm has yet to be located, and the Biden administration isn’t answering if Hunter Biden or the president owned the drug dominating the Independence Day headlines this week.
During a press meeting, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates asked if the president could deny if he or his adult son owned the cocaine found in the People’s House — a charge repeated by former President Donald Trump.
Deputy press secretary Bates invoked the Hatch Act — legislation prohibiting federal employees from talking about using or talking about national resources for campaign purposes — to dodge the question of former President Trump’s claim of if the drug belonged to the president or his son.
“I don’t have a response to that because we have to be careful about the Hatch Act,” responded Bates. “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.”
Bates then compared President Biden’s policy record to his predecessor’s record. Attorney Bradley P. Moss said he is “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,” continued Moss.
Richard Painter, former Bush administration ethics chief who ran for Congress as a Democrat last cycle, said 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?” questioned Painter in an email. “This is the most ridiculous invocation of the Hatch Act I’ve ever heard.”
Painter added that even if someone on the Biden campaign were “high as a kite,” the Hatch Act would not cover the question of the cocaine.
Online users also blasted the White House over invoking the Hatch Act to dodge the questions
“Odd that Bates pivots to the Hatch Act and doesn’t deny the question…” tweeted conservative communicator Steve Guest.
Jerry Dunleavy, a conservative journalist, quipped that Bates was referring to that “famous Hatch Act provision which doesn’t allow you to say White House cocaine doesn’t belong to the president or his son.”
“The Hatch Act?” wrote conservative columnist Byron York.
“The same White House who said ‘mega MAGA’ from the briefing room podium (therefore violating the Hatch Act),” Mike Joyce, GOP State Leadership (RSLC) communications director, wrote.
“Can’t make this stuff up, folks,” added Joyce.
Other users went after the White House over the dodge.
Bates pointed to his gaggle answer that the former president’s comments were a direct “comment from a declared candidate.”
Bookies in Las Vegas have already sprung into action and pointed to Hunter as the probable culprit behind the hard drugs found at the White House. Overseas sportsbook BetOnline.ag gives Hunter Biden +170 odds as the owner, placing him as the most likely wrongdoer among the listed suspects, which also contains joke offenders spread throughout the list.
Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end, follows the younger Biden with +800 odds, with “One of the Jonas Brothers carrying +1000 odds, Angelina Jolie at +1400 odds. First Lady Jill Biden and President Biden sit at the bottom of the pack with 10000 and 15000, respectively.
Sportsbetting.ag, another gambling site, carries the same lines and suspects as BetOnline.ag, with Hunter Biden as the overwhelming favorite. Hunter celebrated the Fourth of July fireworks in Washington, D.C., at the White House.
Costa Rica-based sportsbook, Bovada, is a bit more generous to Hunter Biden. It has “Tour Group Guest” at -400 odds, followed by Hunter at +200 odds. “Janitorial Staff” follows Hunter at +1000 and “Secret Service Special Agent” at +2000.
Like the other sites, Bovada contains more humorous culprits, including the fictional character Tony Montana from the movie “Scarface” at +50000 odds. Former President Donald Trump is also included at +5000 odds.
Sunday, a member of the Secret Service found the cocaine in the West Wing of the White House in an area used by staff and guests, leading to an evacuation of the building and emergency response. President Joe Biden was away at the time.
