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[[Category:Petraeus sex scandal| ]]
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[[Category:Obama administration controversies]]


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Revision as of 10:48, 15 November 2012

The Petraeus scandal is a series of events that gained strong media attention when an extramarital affair between then CIA Director and retired four-star general David Petraeus and Paula Broadwell became public information. Petraeus had chosen Broadwell to be his official biographer. She co-authored All In: The Education of General David Petraeus, his biography when Petraeus was the International Security Assistance Force commander.[1][2] On November 9, 2012, she was reported to have been involved in the extramarital affair with Petraeus that triggered his resignation as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency when it was discovered by the FBI.[3]

People connected to the scandal

David Petraeus

Main article: David Petraeus
General David Petraeus and his biographer turned mistress Paula Broadwell in July 2011

David Petraeus (born November 7, 1952) is an American former military officer and public official. He served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency from September 6, 2011,[4] until his resignation on November 9, 2012.[5] CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell replaced Director Petraeus in his duties, serving as Acting Director.[6] Petraeus, prior to his assuming the directorship of the CIA, was a four-star general having served over 37 years in the United States Army.

According to Petraeus' associate, Steven A. Boylan, Petraeus began an affair with Paula Broadwell, principal author of his biography, All In: The Education of General David Petraeus, in late 2011 when he was no longer an active duty military officer. Petraeus reportedly ended the affair in the summer of 2012, around the time that he learned that Broadwell had been sending harassing emails to a longstanding family friend of the Petraeuses, Jill Kelley.[7]

Kelley, a Lebanese American socialite and volunteer social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa Bay, Florida[8] had approached an associate who worked for the FBI Tampa Field Office in the late spring about anonymous emails she considered threatening.[7] The Bureau traced the emails to Broadwell and noted that Broadwell appeared to be exchanging intimate messages with an email account belonging to Petraeus, which instigated an investigation into whether that account had been hacked into or was someone posing as Petraeus.[9]

Paula Broadwell

Main article: Paula Broadwell

Paula Broadwell (born November 9, 1972) is an American writer, academic, and anti-terrorism professional.[10][11] She is the co-author with Vernon Loeb of the The New York Times Best Seller,[12] All In: The Education of General David Petraeus, a biography of then International Security Assistance Force commander David Petraeus.[1][2] On November 9, 2012, she was reported to have been involved in the extramarital affair with Petraeus that triggered his resignation as Director of the CIA when it was discovered by the FBI.[3]

In or about May 2012, Jill Kelley, a social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, began to receive what she considered to be threatening and harassing emails. She contacted the FBI, who traced the emails to Broadwell.[13] The emails reportedly indicated that Broadwell suspected Kelley of starting an affair with General David Petraeus, who was a friend of Kelley's.[13] Although the sending of the emails was deemed to be insufficient grounds for a criminal charge, the FBI called Broadwell in for questioning, at which time she admitted to the affair with Petraeus.[13] After Broadwell turned over her computer, classified documents were found, which led to further FBI scrutiny of her relationship with Petraeus.[13][14] Although Petraeus was not identified as the provider of the documents, the affair was revealed in early November 2012 and was cited by Petraeus as the reason for his resignation on November 9.[10][15]

Jill Kelley

Main article: Jill Kelley

Jill Kelley (born Gilberte Khawam, January 1, 1975) is a Florida socialite who frequently entertained senior officers based out of nearby MacDill Air Force Base at her Tampa home.[16] Kelley's family are Lebanese-American Maronite Catholics who emigrated from Jounieh, Lebanon, in the mid-1970s. Kelley's friendships with four star Generals David Petraeus and John R. Allen led to her becoming a key figure in the government investigations into the communications of the two men.

In May 2012 Kelley contacted a local FBI investigator that she knew, Frederick W. Humphries II, to complain about being cyberstalked. This set off a chain of events that eventually led to Petraeus' resignation on November 9, 2012. The anonymous emailer was identified as Paula Broadwell, whom investigators discovered had been having an affair with Petraeus.

On November 13, 2012 Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that General Allen's nomination for the post of Supreme Allied Commander Europe would be delayed while the investigation into Allen's extensive communications with Kelley was underway, though both Secretary Panetta and President Obama expressed their confidence in General Allen's ability to lead in his current post and noted that he has not been formally censured.[17][18]

Natalie Khawam Wolfe

Natalie Khawam Wolfe (born January 1, 1975) is the identical twin sister of Jill Kelley and was reportedly also friends with both General David Petraeus and General John R. Allen. She is a lawyer and was married to Grayson Wolfe, a former Bush administration official who directed Middle East initiatives and Iraqi reconstruction efforts at the Export-Import Bank.[19]

Both Petraeus and Allen wrote letters of support for Khawam in the custody dispute concerning her son.[20][21] The judge handling the custody battle took issue with Khawam's claims of domestic violence, calling them "patently incredible" and "obviously fabricated." In addition, the court papers reveal that Khawam had built relationships with Washington elite, including with U.S. Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts[22] According to Tampa police, both sisters called local police frequently between 2009 and 2012 to make various allegations.[23]

John R. Allen

Allen (left) and Petraeus (center) greet Secretary Panetta, July 2011
Main article: John R. Allen

John R. Allen (born December 15, 1953) is a United States Marine Corps four-star general. On July 18, 2011, Allen assumed command of International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) as Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A), succeeding Army General David Petraeus.[24] He has been appointed NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, to take office in early 2013, pending confirmation by the United States Senate.[25] On November 13, 2012, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that Allen's nomination for SACEUR would be "delayed." News agencies reported that Allen's communications with Jill Kelley, a Tampa woman who was friends with Allen's predecessor as top commander in Afghanistan, David Petraeus, were under investigation. Petraeus had resigned as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency four days earlier.[26]

In November 2012, Allen became embroiled in an inappropriate communication investigation concerning his correspondences with Jill Kelley.[27] In response to the investigation, Secretary Panetta moved to speed the nomination of General Joseph Dunford to command of forces in Afghanistan.[28]

Frederick W. Humphries II

Frederick Ward Humphries II, the FBI agent who started the investigation, was a friend of Kelley's.[29] He was later barred from taking part in the investigation over concerns that he had become obsessed with the case. Officials discovered that he had sent a shirtless photo of himself to Kelley, although Humphries later told the Seattle Times that dozens of other friends and acquaintances had also received the photo in a "joking" email sent in the fall of 2010, soon after Humphries had transferred to Tampa from Guantánamo Bay.[30] The politically conservative Humphries would later contact a Republican Congressman from Washington state, where Humphries had previously been stationed, to express his speculation that the FBI was dragging its feet on the case for political reasons. Humphries is now under investigation by the Office of Professional Responsibility, the internal-affairs arm of the United States Department of Justice.[31][32]

Humphries had a notable FBI career prior to 2012. In December 1999, his familiarity with an Algerian French accent allowed him to recognize that the Algerian terrorist Ahmed Ressam's claims to be a French Canadian were likely false and he had Ressam detained.[33] The trial judge in the Ressam case, John C. Coughenour, praised Humphries' work and integrity. In May 2010 Humphries fired two shots at a man outside the MacDill Air Force Base gate. The fatal shooting was deemed to be justified.[30]

Domestic reactions to the scandal

The White House and Barack Obama

After being briefed on November 8, President Obama summoned Petraeus to the White House, where Petraeus offered his resignation.[34] After taking some time to consider, Obama chose not to suspend Petraeus but accepted the resignation on November 9.[35][36][37] Petraeus cited the affair when announcing that same day that he would be resigning as CIA Director.[38]

In the days following Obama's re-election in November 2012, he had to face the ramifications of the Petraeus scandal. Media reported that angry congressional leaders are demanding answers about the Petraeus affair and "why they were given zero advance notice of the spymaster’s lively love life."[39] An article in TIME probed "The Petraeus Affair: Why Was Obama Kept in the Dark?"[40]

The CIA and intelligence community

Although US Attorney General Eric Holder was aware early on that the FBI had discovered an affair,[41] it was not until November 6, 2012, that Petraeus' nominal superior, Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper, was advised. The same evening that Clapper was informed, Clapper called Petraeus and urged him to resign. Clapper notified the White House the next day, November 7.

The FBI and law enforcement

Officials say the FBI knew of Petraeus' affair in the summer of 2012.[42][43] According to an Associated Press report, rather than transmit emails to each other's inbox which would have left a more obvious email trail, messages were left in a draft folder which were then read when the other person logged into the same account.[44]

Congressional involvement

Although the Tampa FBI agent familiar with Kelley, Fred Humphries, was not put on the case as he was not part of the cybersquad, the agent was said to have became obsessed with the investigation. After being instructed by his superiors to steer clear of the case, Humphries reportedly became convinced that the investigation had been stalled because of a politically motivated desire to protect U.S. President Barack Obama.[45] The agent then contacted Republican Congressman Dave Reichert,[46] and was able to relay information to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. Cantor's office raised the matter with FBI Director Robert Mueller on October 31.[45][46]

After news of the affair between Petraeus and Broadwell broke, several members of Congress stated that they felt they should have been informed about the FBI investigation earlier.

US military

On November 13, it emerged that Kelley had a connection to General John R. Allen, Petraeus' successor as top commander in Afghanistan. Defense Secretary Panetta, Petraeus' predecessor at the CIA, said that Allen's nomination for Supreme Allied Commander Europe would be "delayed." News agencies reported that Allen's communications with Kelley were under investigation.[26]

References

  1. ^ a b Stein, Jeff (November 10, 2012). "Covert Affairs: A short history of spies and their sex scandals". Foreign Affairs. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Morella, Michael (February 17, 2012). "General David Petraeus's Leadership and Legacy". U.S. News & World Report.
  3. ^ a b Kaplan, Fred (November 8, 2012). "Petraeus Resigns Over Affair With Biographer". Slate. Retrieved November 8, 2012. The woman with whom Gen. David Petraeus was having an affair is Paula Broadwell, the author of a recent hagiographic book about him, All In: The Education of General David Petraeus.
  4. ^ "Petraeus sworn in as CIA director". cnn. Retrieved September 7, 2011.
  5. ^ "David Petraeus resigns from CIA". USA Today. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  6. ^ "CIA director David Petraeus resigns over extramarital affair". CNN. November 9, 2012. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  7. ^ a b Petraeus told biographer to stop harassing family friend, officials say The Washington Post November 12, 2012
  8. ^ "Official IDs Tampa woman who sparked Petraeus inquiry".
  9. ^ Scott Shane and Charlie Savage
  10. ^ a b Shear, Michael, D. (November 9, 2012). "Woman Linked to Petraeus Is a West Point Graduate and Lifelong High Achiever." The New York Times
  11. ^ "Paula Broadwell (MA '06)" (PDF). Alumni Relations. University of Denver. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  12. ^ "Bestsellers February 26, 2012". The New York Times. February 26, 2012. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  13. ^ a b c d Horwitz, Sari (November 10, 2012). "FBI probe of Petraeus triggered by e-mail threats from biographer, officials say". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 11, 2012.
  14. ^ FBI Scrutinized on Petraeus: Complaints by Female Social Planner Led to Email Trail That Undid CIA Chief The Wall Street Journal November 11, 2012
  15. ^ Stenovec, Timothy. "Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus Biographer, Reportedly Woman Involved In CIA Director's Affair". Huffington Post. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  16. ^ Petraeus friend Jill Kelley found place hosting military parties Tampa Bay Times November 13, 2012
  17. ^ Elisabeth Bumiller, Top U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Is Linked to Petraeus Scandal The New York Times November 13, 2012
  18. ^ http://news.msn.com/politics/petraeus-mistress-had-substantial-classified-data-sources
  19. ^ David Ingram and Aruna Viswanatha (November 14, 2012). "Petraeus, Allen supported Florida woman's sister in child custody spat". Reuters. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  20. ^ Ross, Brian (November 14, 2012). "David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell Scandal: Who Is Jill Kelley? Brian Ross Investigates". ABC News. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  21. ^ CNN. "Memorandum/s from Generals Petraeus and Allen to the District of Columbia District Court in support of Natalie Khawam (PDF)" (PDF). turner.com/cnn. Retrieved November 15, 2012. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  22. ^ David Ingram and Aruna Viswanatha (November 14, 2012). "Petraeus, Allen supported Florida woman's sister in child custody spat". Reuters. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  23. ^ Ben Montgomery (14 November 2012), Police calls to Jill Kelley's mansion include sister's pornography, abuse and stalking claims Tampa Bay Times
  24. ^ "General John R. Allen Assumes Command of ISAF". isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-releases/index.php. ISAF Headquarters Public Affairs. Retrieved July 18, 2011.
  25. ^ BBC News
  26. ^ a b Top U.S. commander in Afghanistan under investigation, scandal widens Reuters September 13, 2012
  27. ^ The Telegraph (London), "Gen John Allen investigated for 'inappropriate communications' to Jill Kelley", Hannah Furness, 8:01 am GMT November 13, 2012
  28. ^ BBC News, "David Petraeus CIA scandal engulfs US Gen John Allen", November 13, 2012 Last updated at 05:26 ET
  29. ^ [1]"FBI agent linked to Petraeus scandal identified as Frederick Humphries," CBS News, 14 November 2012
  30. ^ a b Mike Carter, Mystery FBI agent in Petraeus scandal revealed Seattle Times] 14 November 2010
  31. ^ Barrett, Devlin; Perez, Evan;Gorman, Siobhan (November 13, 2012). "FBI Agent in Petraeus Case Under Scrutiny". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved November 13, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ Rothacker, Rick (November 12, 2012). "Three women intertwine in downfall of David Petraeus". Reuters. Retrieved November 13, 2012.
  33. ^ Hal Bernton, Mike Carter, David Heath and James Neff, Chapter 13: On the Case The Seattle Times June 23 - July 7, 2002
  34. ^ Sari Horwitz and Greg Miller, FBI probe of Petraeus triggered by e-mail threats from biographer, officials say The Washington Post November 11, 2012
  35. ^ Gye, Hugo; Nye, James (November 9, 2012). "Revealed: CIA boss David Petraeus forced to quit after an FBI investigation uncovered his extra-marital affair". Daily Mail. Retrieved November 9, 2012.
  36. ^ CIA director David Petraeus resigns over extramarital affair CNN, November 9, 2012
  37. ^ [2] CNN, November 14, 2012
  38. ^ "CIA chief David Petraeus' resignation over extramarital affair shocks Washington". Retrieved November 10, 2012.
  39. ^ Siemaszko, Corky; Siemaszko, Jennifer H.;Connor, Tracy; (November 14, 2012). "Heat's on President Obama as collateral damage from Gen. David Petraeus' two-timing hits Gen. John Allen". Daily News. New York. Retrieved November 14, 2012.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  40. ^ Calabresi, Massimo (November 14, 2012). "The Petraeus Affair: Why Was Obama Kept in the Dark?". Time. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  41. ^ "Holder notified of Petraeus probe in late summer - did he tell anyone?". Fox News. Retrieved November 14, 2012.
  42. ^ Petraeus resigns after affair with biographer turned up in FBI probe, Fox News confirms FOX News, November 9, 2012
  43. ^ Petraeus' biographer Paula Broadwell under FBI investigation over access to his email, law enforcement officials say NBC News, November 9, 2012
  44. ^ Kimberly Dozier and Pete Yost, Petraeus shocked to hear of emails, associates say Associated Press November 12, 2012
  45. ^ a b Scott Shane and Charlie Savage, Motives Questioned in F.B.I. Inquiry of Petraeus E-Mails The New York Times November 12, 2012
  46. ^ a b FBI Agent in Petraeus Case Under Scrutiny The Wall Street Journal November 12, 2012
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