White House to Test Staff for Drugs After Snaring 5 : Reagan Says He’s Upset, Unsurprised

The White House, chafing over revelations that five employees have been relieved of their duties as authorities investigate drug use, said today that it will soon begin mandatory, random drug tests of all 1,600 of its workers.

Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the months-old investigation, which has resulted in the dismissal of two National Security Council clerks and the suspension of three White House Secret Service guards, “illustrates all too well the terrible fact of drug use in our society.”

President Reagan, asked at a picture-taking session about the developments, said he and his wife Nancy were upset but not surprised by alleged illicit drug use by White House employees.

“It’s just evidence of what we’ve been saying, and in particular what Nancy has been saying, and that is no one is exempt. This problem crosses all kinds of lines,” he said.

Asked if he thought his security had ever been endangered, the President replied, “No, I don’t think so.”

‘We Will Do Our Best’

Reagan, posing with Republican congressmen who had come to the White House to discuss drug policy options, said that if White House workers are found to have used drugs he would like to see them enter drug treatment programs.

“If it was just a case of using” drugs, Reagan said, “then I would like to see us do our best to get them into a drug-treatment organization with a view to attempting a cure. . . . Let the people know that then we will do our best to salvage anyone who has been a victim.”

Fitzwater said that no one has been charged so far and that the investigation is continuing by the Secret Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. attorney’s office.

He said all five cases are “related in some fashion.”

On Wednesday, White House spokeswoman Liz Murphy said the two clerks had “admitted drug use and were separated from the NSC.”

Fitzwater today told reporters that the clerks had “agreed to resign” several months ago, “during the winter.”

At ‘Secretary Level’

Two of the guards were relieved of their duties last Friday. The third was placed on leave Monday.

Asked at what level the NSC clerks worked, Fitzwater said he could not specify except to say they were at the “secretary level.”

Pressed to say whether the two were involved in handling sensitive matters, he responded, “It’s fair to assume that everyone who works at the NSC has access to sensitive material.”

Fitzwater would not say today what drugs had been involved.

The Washington Post, however, quoted an unnamed source this morning as saying that a transaction involving cocaine had taken place on the White House grounds. Fitzwater said today that there is no evidence produced by the investigation so far to substantiate that any such drug sales occurred.

60 Days’ Notice

Fitzwater said White House employees will be sent a letter giving them 60 days’ notice of the mandatory, random drug testing.

He said the tests will be conducted six times a year, with each round involving about 2% of the approximately 1,600 employees of the executive office of the President.

Included are employees of the Office of Management and Budget, the National Security Council and the office of the vice president and the First Lady.

The spokesman also said that the Secret Service will begin July 13 a program of pre-employment drug testing for job applicants.

Asked why the clerks are no longer on the payroll while the Secret Service officers are on paid leave, Fitzwater said the guards have the protection of civil service appeal processes while members of the executive office serve at the pleasure of the President.