Unless something happens that makes this story wild, more scandalous, or a security meltdown, this is the only blog entry on this subject. I will post on the Benghazi committee's.
2010, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Petraeus said in a statement that he had shown "extremely poor judgment" in having an affair.
Paula Broadwell
By TBO.com Published: November 09, 2012
Updated: November 09, 2012 - 10:08 PM
David Petraeus, the retired four-star general renowned for taking charge of the military campaigns in Iraq and then Afghanistan, abruptly resigned Friday as director of the CIA, admitting to an extramarital affair.
The affair was discovered during an FBI investigation, according to officials briefed on the developments. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the matter.
Petraeus carried on the affair with his biographer and reserve Army officer Paula Broadwell, according to several U.S. officials with knowledge of the situation. They spoke anonymously because they were not authorized to discuss the investigation that led to the resignation publicly.
The FBI discovered the relationship by monitoring Petraeus' emails, after being alerted Broadwell may have had access to his personal email account, two of the officials said.
Broadwell did not respond to voice mail or email messages seeking comment.
Petraeus' resignation shocked Washington's intelligence and political communities. It was a sudden end to the public career of the best-known general of the post 9/11 wars, a man sometimes mentioned as a potential Republican presidential candidate. His service was effusively praised Friday in statements from lawmakers of both parties.
Petraeus, who turned 60 on Wednesday, told CIA employees in a statement that he had met with President Barack Obama at the White House on Thursday and asked to be allowed to resign. On Friday, the president accepted.
Petraeus told his staffers he was guilty of “extremely poor judgment” in the affair. “Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours.”
He has been married for 38 years to Holly Petraeus, whom he met when he was a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. She was the daughter of the academy superintendent. They have two children, and their son led an infantry platoon in Afghanistan.
Obama said in a statement that the retired general had provided “extraordinary service to the United States for decades” and had given a lifetime of service that “made our country safer and stronger.” Obama called him “one of the outstanding general officers of his generation.”
The president said that CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell would serve as acting director. Morell was the key CIA aide in the White House to President George W. Bush during the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
“I am completely confident that the CIA will continue to thrive and carry out its essential mission,” Obama said.
Administration officials said the White House was first notified about the Petraeus affair on Wednesday, the day after the election. Obama, who returned to the White House that evening after spending Election Day in Chicago, wasn't informed until Thursday morning.
The Senate and House intelligence committees were briefed on Petraeus' resignation only after the news was reported in the media, said a congressional staffer, speaking anonymously because the staffer was not authorized to publicly discuss the sensitive briefings.
The resignation comes at a sensitive time. The administration and the CIA have struggled to defend security and intelligence lapses before the attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three others. It was an issue during the presidential campaign that ended with Obama's re-election Tuesday.
The CIA has come under intense scrutiny for providing the White House and other administration officials with talking points that led them to say the Benghazi attack was a result of a film protest, not a militant terror attack. It has become clear that the CIA was aware the attack was distinct from the film protests roiling across other parts of the Muslim world.
Morell rather than Petraeus now is expected to testify at closed congressional briefings next week on the Sept. 11 attacks on the consulate in Benghazi.
For the director of the CIA, being engaged in an extramarital affair is considered a serious breach of security and a counterintelligence threat. If a foreign government had learned of the affair, the reasoning goes, Petraeus or Broadwell could have been blackmailed or otherwise compromised. Military justice considers conduct such as an extramarital affair to be possible grounds for court-martial.
Failure to resign also could create the perception for the rank and file that such behavior is acceptable.
At FBI headquarters, spokesman Paul Bresson declined to comment on the information that the affair had been discovered in the course of an investigation by the bureau.
Holly Petraeus is known for her work helping military families. She joined the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to set up an office dedicated to helping service members with financial issues.
Though Obama made no direct mention of Petraeus' reason for resigning, he offered his thoughts and prayers to the general and his wife, saying that Holly Petraeus had “done so much to help military families through her own work. I wish them the very best at this difficult time.”
Petraeus, who became CIA director in September 2011, was known as a shrewd thinker and hard-charging competitor. Broadwell recently wrote a piece in Newsweek about his management style.
The article listed Petraeus' “rules for living.” No. 5 was: “We all make mistakes. The key is to recognize them, to learn from them, and to take off the rear view mirrors — drive on and avoid making them again.”
Petraeus told his CIA employees that he treasured his work with them “and I will always regret the circumstances that brought that work with you to an end.”
The director of national intelligence, James Clapper, said Petraeus' departure represented “the loss of one of our nation's most respected public servants. From his long, illustrious Army career to his leadership at the helm of CIA, Dave has redefined what it means to serve and sacrifice for one's country.”
Other CIA directors have resigned under unflattering circumstances.
CIA Director Jim Woolsey left over the discovery of a KGB mole and director John Deutch left after the revelation that he had kept classified information on his home computer.
Before Obama brought Petraeus to the CIA, the general was credited with salvaging the U.S. war in Iraq.
“His inspirational leadership and his genius were directly responsible — after years of failure — for the success of the surge in Iraq,” Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Friday.
President George W. Bush sent Petraeus to Iraq in February 2007, at the peak of sectarian violence, to turn things around as head of U.S. forces. He oversaw an influx of 30,000 U.S. troops and moved troops out of big bases so they could work more closely with Iraqi forces scattered throughout Baghdad.
Petraeus' success was credited with paving the way for the eventual U.S. withdrawal.
After Iraq, Bush made Petraeus commander of U.S. Central Command, overseeing all U.S. military operations in the greater Middle East, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.
When the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, was relieved of duty in June 2010 for comments in a magazine story, Obama asked Petraeus to take over in Kabul and the general quickly agreed.
In the months that followed, Petraeus helped lead the push to add more U.S. troops to that war and dramatically boost the effort to train Afghan soldiers and police.
House Homeland Security Chairman Peter King, R-N.Y., said he regretted Petraeus' resignation, calling him “one of America's most outstanding and distinguished military leaders and a true American patriot.”
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Dianne Feinstein also regretted the resignation but gave Morell high marks, too.
Morell had served as deputy director since May 2010, after holding a number of top roles, including director for the agency's analytical arm, which helps feed intelligence into the president's daily brief. He also worked as an aide to former CIA director George Tenet.
“I wish President Obama had not accepted this resignation,” Feinstein said of Petraeus, “but I understand and respect the decision.”
Multimedia
Brother defends Jill Kelley in Petraeus scandal
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Jill Kelley's brother says she is a great mother and wife as details continue to come out in the Gen. David Petraeus scandal.
Duration: 2:40
Kelley who lives in south Tampa sparked the probe that uncovered Petraeus's affair.
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
The investigation into General David Petraeus' affair has lawmakers in Washington debating who knew what and when they knew it. There are questions for the general's other woman Paula Broadwell and a
Duration: 2:15
Who is Jill Kelly?
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
The Kelley's frequently socialized with the top brass at MacDill Air Force Base and considered the Petraeus's close personal friends, Jill Kelly has been linked to Marine Corps General John Allen thr
Duration: 3:42
Petraeus's affair has ties to Tampa
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Jill Kelly, who shares a home with her husband on Bayshore, has been linked to Marine Corps General John Allen. It appears the two have exchanged thousands of emails.
Duration: 3:06
New video reveals more about Jill Kelley
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
New video released shows who Jill Kelley. the Tampa woman at the center of the scandal that led to the resignation of former CIA Chief David Petraeus really is like.
Duration: 3:24
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
The investigation into General David Petraeus' affair has lawmakers in Washington debating who knew what and when they knew it. There are questions for the general's other woman Paula Broadwell and a
Duration: 2:15
Who is Jill Kelly?
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
The Kelley's frequently socialized with the top brass at MacDill Air Force Base and considered the Petraeus's close personal friends, Jill Kelly has been linked to Marine Corps General John Allen thr
Duration: 3:42
Petraeus's affair has ties to Tampa
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Jill Kelly, who shares a home with her husband on Bayshore, has been linked to Marine Corps General John Allen. It appears the two have exchanged thousands of emails.
Duration: 3:06
New video reveals more about Jill Kelley
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
New video released shows who Jill Kelley. the Tampa woman at the center of the scandal that led to the resignation of former CIA Chief David Petraeus really is like.
Duration: 3:24
Jill Kelley shared smooch with Gen. David Petraeus
PUBLISHED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012, 6:00 AM
UPDATED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012, 6:00 AMShe shared a smooch with one married general, sent reams of explicit emails to another — and now she’s....
David Howell Petraeus (; born November 7, 1952) is an American former military officer and public official.
A single spiteful email led to Petraeus' downfall
Published: November 15, 2012
Updated: November 15, 2012 - 12:31 PM
It started in May with a spiteful email to the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. An anonymous writer warned Gen. John Allen
Center of the scandal: Major players in Petraeus sex case
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Her inbox brought down one top commander, her exchanges threaten another. Jill Kelley - wife, mother and Tampa socialite - has shaken the nation's military and intelligence communities with her e-mail.
Officials at MacDill Air Force Base have banned Tampa socialite Jill Kelley from the base because of her involvement in an ongoing investigation.
Jill Kelley case prompts review of 'Friends of MacDill'
Thu, 15 Nov 2012
The commander of MacDill Air Force Base has ordered a review of everyone admitted to the "Friends of MacDill" program, the Pentagon says, in the wake of the scandal that traces back to one of the program's members.
Official: Jill Kelley granted unescorted MacDill AFB access in 2010
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Jill Kelley, the Tampa socialite at the heart of the David Petraeus sex scandal, received access based on her outreach and community relations with the base. It has been suspended due to the investigation.
Top U.S. officer investigated for emails to Tampa woman in Petraeus case
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT -- In a new twist to the Gen. David Petraeus sex scandal, the Pentagon said Tuesday that the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen . John Allen , is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with a woman who is said to have received ...
Charlie Crist denies he dated Jill Kelley's twin sister
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
TAMPA
Officials: Emails sparked Petraeus probe
Sun, 11 Nov 2012
The collapse of the impressive career of CIA Director David Petraeus was triggered when a woman with whom he was having an affair sent threatening emails to another woman close to him, according to three senior law enforcement officials.
A higher standard?
Thu, 15 Nov 2012
Do we hold our generals to a higher standard of conduct than our presidents?
Kelleys befriended Petraeus early in Centcom tenure
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
When Army Gen. David Petraeus took charge of U.S. Central Command in 2008, two of the first people he met were Scott and Jill Kelley, a South Tampa couple known for their support of the military.
Kelley's twin is fighting suit
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
The twin sister of the Tampa woman linked to Gen. David Petraeus' resignation as director of the CIA is being sued in Montgomery County Circuit Court in Maryland for about $100,000 in unpaid legal fees.
Center of the scandal: Major players in Petraeus case
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
From the generals, the biographer and jealous mistress, and the Tampa socialite who has shaken the nation's military and intelligence communities with her e-mails, here are the individuals at the center of the David Petraeus sex scandal.
Without sin? Then cast the first stone
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
The sudden resignation of David Petraeus as CIA director over an affair makes me very sad, and quite angry. There's something wrong with a political system that destroys men of his talent over a very human mistake.
Police called to Kelley home by sister
Thu, 15 Nov 2012
Police are no strangers to the home of a Tampa socialite whose emails toppled a spymaster.
Jill Kelley asks for 'diplomatic protection' from cops
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Tampa police have responded to the Bayshore residence four times in the last two days after Jill Kelley complained about media blocking access to the home.
Media sideshow forms outside Kelley house on Bayshore
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Journalists are on watch outside the house of Jill Kelley, who reportedly received harassing emails that led to the case that forced former CIA David Petraeus to quit.
Fresh Squeezed Politics: Crist denies report that he dated Jill Kelley’s sister - from TBO.com Breaking News
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Fresh Squeezed Politics: Crist denies report that he dated Jill Kelley’s sister from Tampa Bay breaking News - {summary} ...
Lawmakers criticize FBI investigation
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
Senior lawmakers called for an inquiry into the FBI's handling of the case of CIA Director DavidPetraeus on Sunday as new details and questions emerged about the investigation that led to his resignation last week.
Petraeus' mistress sent harassing emails to Tampa woman
Sun, 11 Nov 2012
The search for answers into David Petraeus' sudden departure as CIA director turned to Bayshore Boulevard Sunday, as word spread that a South Tampa woman had launched the FBI investigation that led to his resignation.
Official: Petraeus' mistress sent harassing emails to Tampa woman
Sun, 11 Nov 2012
WASHINGTON -- The search for answers into David Petraeus' sudden departure as CIA director turned to Bayshore Boulevard Sunday, as word spread that a South Tampa woman had launched the FBI investigation that led to his resignation.
Book: Petraeus urged to quit over Afghan drawdown
Thu, 29 Dec 2011
WASHINGTON — Four-star general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus was urged to resign as Afghanistan war commander over President Barack Obama's decision to quickly withdraw surge forces, according to a new insider's look at Petraeus' 37-year Army career.
Kerry being considered for defense secretary
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
President Barack Obama is considering asking Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to serve as his next defense secretary, part of an extensive rearrangement of his national security team that will include a permanent replacement for former CIA director David Petraeus .
The Petraeus tragedy
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Politicians and commentators have been quick to see a conspiracy in the departure of CIA director Gen. David Petraeus , who abruptly resigned Friday after admitting an affair with his biographer.
Young, Rooney press for answers
Sat, 10 Nov 2012
Two local congressmen want answers about the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus , from whether national security was compromised by his extramarital affair to whether the former general is being used as a scapegoat.
Rep. Young wants answers to Petraeus scandal
Fri, 9 Nov 2012
Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young said he will meet with officials from the Central Intelligence Agency on Tuesday to try to learn more about whether national security was compromised by an affair that led to the resignation of director David Petraeus .
PUBLISHED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012, 6:00 AM
UPDATED: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012, 6:00 AMShe shared a smooch with one married general, sent reams of explicit emails to another — and now she’s....
David Howell Petraeus (; born November 7, 1952) is an American former military officer and public official.
A single spiteful email led to Petraeus' downfall
Published: November 15, 2012
Updated: November 15, 2012 - 12:31 PM
It started in May with a spiteful email to the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan. An anonymous writer warned Gen. John Allen
Center of the scandal: Major players in Petraeus sex case
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Her inbox brought down one top commander, her exchanges threaten another. Jill Kelley - wife, mother and Tampa socialite - has shaken the nation's military and intelligence communities with her e-mail.
Officials at MacDill Air Force Base have banned Tampa socialite Jill Kelley from the base because of her involvement in an ongoing investigation.
Jill Kelley case prompts review of 'Friends of MacDill'
Thu, 15 Nov 2012
The commander of MacDill Air Force Base has ordered a review of everyone admitted to the "Friends of MacDill" program, the Pentagon says, in the wake of the scandal that traces back to one of the program's members.
Official: Jill Kelley granted unescorted MacDill AFB access in 2010
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Jill Kelley, the Tampa socialite at the heart of the David Petraeus sex scandal, received access based on her outreach and community relations with the base. It has been suspended due to the investigation.
Top U.S. officer investigated for emails to Tampa woman in Petraeus case
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
ABOARD A U.S. MILITARY AIRCRAFT -- In a new twist to the Gen. David Petraeus sex scandal, the Pentagon said Tuesday that the top American commander in Afghanistan, Gen . John Allen , is under investigation for alleged "inappropriate communications" with a woman who is said to have received ...
Charlie Crist denies he dated Jill Kelley's twin sister
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
TAMPA
Officials: Emails sparked Petraeus probe
Sun, 11 Nov 2012
The collapse of the impressive career of CIA Director David Petraeus was triggered when a woman with whom he was having an affair sent threatening emails to another woman close to him, according to three senior law enforcement officials.
A higher standard?
Thu, 15 Nov 2012
Do we hold our generals to a higher standard of conduct than our presidents?
Kelleys befriended Petraeus early in Centcom tenure
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
When Army Gen. David Petraeus took charge of U.S. Central Command in 2008, two of the first people he met were Scott and Jill Kelley, a South Tampa couple known for their support of the military.
Kelley's twin is fighting suit
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
The twin sister of the Tampa woman linked to Gen. David Petraeus' resignation as director of the CIA is being sued in Montgomery County Circuit Court in Maryland for about $100,000 in unpaid legal fees.
Center of the scandal: Major players in Petraeus case
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
From the generals, the biographer and jealous mistress, and the Tampa socialite who has shaken the nation's military and intelligence communities with her e-mails, here are the individuals at the center of the David Petraeus sex scandal.
Without sin? Then cast the first stone
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
The sudden resignation of David Petraeus as CIA director over an affair makes me very sad, and quite angry. There's something wrong with a political system that destroys men of his talent over a very human mistake.
Police called to Kelley home by sister
Thu, 15 Nov 2012
Police are no strangers to the home of a Tampa socialite whose emails toppled a spymaster.
Jill Kelley asks for 'diplomatic protection' from cops
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Tampa police have responded to the Bayshore residence four times in the last two days after Jill Kelley complained about media blocking access to the home.
Media sideshow forms outside Kelley house on Bayshore
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Journalists are on watch outside the house of Jill Kelley, who reportedly received harassing emails that led to the case that forced former CIA David Petraeus to quit.
Fresh Squeezed Politics: Crist denies report that he dated Jill Kelley’s sister - from TBO.com Breaking News
Wed, 14 Nov 2012
Fresh Squeezed Politics: Crist denies report that he dated Jill Kelley’s sister from Tampa Bay breaking News - {summary} ...
Lawmakers criticize FBI investigation
Mon, 12 Nov 2012
Senior lawmakers called for an inquiry into the FBI's handling of the case of CIA Director DavidPetraeus on Sunday as new details and questions emerged about the investigation that led to his resignation last week.
Petraeus' mistress sent harassing emails to Tampa woman
Sun, 11 Nov 2012
The search for answers into David Petraeus' sudden departure as CIA director turned to Bayshore Boulevard Sunday, as word spread that a South Tampa woman had launched the FBI investigation that led to his resignation.
Official: Petraeus' mistress sent harassing emails to Tampa woman
Sun, 11 Nov 2012
WASHINGTON -- The search for answers into David Petraeus' sudden departure as CIA director turned to Bayshore Boulevard Sunday, as word spread that a South Tampa woman had launched the FBI investigation that led to his resignation.
Book: Petraeus urged to quit over Afghan drawdown
Thu, 29 Dec 2011
WASHINGTON — Four-star general-turned-CIA director David Petraeus was urged to resign as Afghanistan war commander over President Barack Obama's decision to quickly withdraw surge forces, according to a new insider's look at Petraeus' 37-year Army career.
Kerry being considered for defense secretary
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
President Barack Obama is considering asking Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., to serve as his next defense secretary, part of an extensive rearrangement of his national security team that will include a permanent replacement for former CIA director David Petraeus .
The Petraeus tragedy
Tue, 13 Nov 2012
Politicians and commentators have been quick to see a conspiracy in the departure of CIA director Gen. David Petraeus , who abruptly resigned Friday after admitting an affair with his biographer.
Young, Rooney press for answers
Sat, 10 Nov 2012
Two local congressmen want answers about the resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus , from whether national security was compromised by his extramarital affair to whether the former general is being used as a scapegoat.
Rep. Young wants answers to Petraeus scandal
Fri, 9 Nov 2012
Rep. C.W. "Bill" Young said he will meet with officials from the Central Intelligence Agency on Tuesday to try to learn more about whether national security was compromised by an affair that led to the resignation of director David Petraeus .
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