‘Average People Just Can’t Get In There:’ MSNBC Reports It’s ‘Certainly Notable’ That WH Cocaine Was Found Near The Situation Room

The cocaine found Sunday in the West Wing of the White House was located nearer to sensitive areas of the building than previously thought, according to reporting by MSNBC.

Chief Washington Correspondent Andrea Mitchell acknowledged the West Wing reception area was a highly-trafficked area, but still offered limited-access to outsiders.

“The big change is… where this was found. It was found, by my observation, in a much more secure place — limited-access place, in that West Wing reception area,” Mitchell said. “It’s still a frequently traveled place, but it’s down near the Situation Room, right off Executive Drive, down below. And, normal people just — average people  just can’t get in there even with the entry for the northwest gate.”

White House Correspondent Kelly O’Donnell confirmed that the drugs were found at the West Executive entrance, “which, as you noted, is closer to the Situation Room.”

The White House Situation Room is a “dedicated crisis management center,” with secure communications, according to the National Archives.

“It is also next to West Executive Drive — that’s where, for example, the vice president’s vehicle is parked. However, it is a high-traffic area, and by that I mean, you do have people who work here in all kinds of jobs, not just political jobs, the military, facilities — people who work for the operations of the White House — and they do have the tours that go through there, if they are among the private tours with staffers, sort of as a sponsored member. So, very high traffic. The fact that it’s close to the Situation Room is certainly notable — we had earlier been told that it was one level above, in, also a lobby area in the West Wing, closer to where the Oval Office is.”

O’Donnell also reported that the Secret Service has conducted DNA testing and fingerprinting, and now says the investigation could be wrapped up by Monday or even earlier.

“However, they key thing is, multiple officials are cautioning that it is unlikely, or certainly possible, that the there would be a resolution to this, meaning, forensic evidence found that could identify an individual,” O’Donnell said.

Watch the MSNBC clip above.

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