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A new facet in the David Petraeus scandal has unfolded as it emerged that Paula Broadwell once modeled and served as spokeswoman for Kriss Arms, a Virginia Beach machine gun production company.
Paula Broadwell is featured in an advertisement for Kriss Arms, where she leans on years of military research and her shooting savvy to praise the design of the guns.
Her proximity to David Petraeus, one of the highest-ranking members of the American military, and her commercial endorsement of a gun manufacturer will appear suspicious and likely add more fodder for federal investigators.
The commercial was posted in March of this year, at the same time she was reportedly having an affair with the then-CIA director who previously was the head of U.S. military command in Afghanistan.
“Clearly computer technology cannot solve all the problems in modern warfare, for example a computer can’t come up with a strategy to win a war. Neither can a computer or technology galvanize unity of effort which is critical in these wars… those are all human efforts. It can be empowered and enabled by technology but it comes down to human endeavor at the end of the day,” Paula Broadwell says in the video.
Producers of the video included that she was the author of General David Petraeus’ biography as the justification for her participation on screen, and while she did not explicitly mention her lover by name, it is clear that she was thinking of the man she repeatedly called an “inspirational figure”.
Paula Broadwell is featured in an advertisement for Kriss Arms, where she leans on years of military research and her shooting savvy to praise the design of the guns
In portions of her interview, Paula Broadwell uses her military background to justify the improvements made by Kriss Arms.
“On the individual fighter, reducing weight is critical because of fatigue and stress. Weight reduction can greatly improve the efficiency of a firearm,” she says.
“It allows the trooper to carry it further, obviously, if an individual is out there in the battlefield. And that trooper should have more confidence in the system he’s carrying, ideally, if the system is a manned aerial vehicle or again a heavy vehicle the range of the system will be longer, less resupply of fuels and other materials.”
Paula Broadwell doesn’t simply rest on her brains when it comes to touting the company’s guns, however, as she is seen using one of their models to shoot at targets in a Virginia Beach range.
During one segment, she successfully hits four targets out of five consecutive shots.
David Crane, who is also featured in the six-minute video, told The National Enquirer that he took particular notice of the mother-of-two when she changed out of the professional clothes she was wearing and slipped into something more befitting the shooting range.
“She changed into those tight jeans and riding boots specifically to shoot guns at the firing range,” David Crane said.
“She looked very sexy shooting a submachine gun, so I started taking her picture. She was a decent shot and didn’t seem to have a problem hitting the targets.”
There is no denying the connection between Paula Broadwell and the machine gun company, as she apparently posted about her time as a “model/demonstrator” for Kriss Vector on both her website bio and her LinkedIn profile before making them private once the scandal hit.
The company is now keeping their distance, however, as the CEO John Spurrier downplayed her involvement.
“Mrs. Broadwell did participate as a subject matter expert and demonstrator… about the company’s products, but has never had any official affiliation with the company,” he told ABC News.
Now the only posing that Paula Broadwell is doing is that of the reluctant troublemaker, as she has been seen going to and from relatives’ homes in Virginia and Washington, D.C.
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Natalie Khawam, Lebanese-born twin sister of Jill Kelley, the Tampa socialite at the centre of David Petraeus scandal, appeared at a press conference alongside celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred.
In an apparent bid to gain leverage for her client in a bitter custody battle with her ex-husband Grayson Wolfe over their 4-year-old son, Gloria Allred portrayed Natalie Khawam’s case as “extremely important to single moms across the nation”.
David Petraeus, who resigned as CIA director after his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell was revealed when Jill Kelley complained to the FBI about harassing emails from her, wrote a letter in support of Khawam’s case.
General John Allen, NATO commander in Afghanistan and under investigation for potentially ‘inappropriate’ emails in a correspondence of up to 30,000 pages, also wrote a letter backing her.
Gloria Allred paid tribute to David Petraues and his wife Holly at a press conference in the Ritz Carlton in Washington.
“Both have known Natalie and her son personally for many years, and have had numerous opportunities to observe them together,” she said.
“They have loved Natalie’s child and emotionally supported her and her son through the toughest time in Natalie and her son’s life. They both spoke up through their court declarations in support of Natalie about what a loving, protective mom she was.”
Natalie Khawam, Lebanese-born twin sister of Jill Kelley, appeared at a press conference alongside celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred
A tearful Natalie Khawam, 37, declined to answer any questions but spoke of her relationship with her sister.
“My sister Jill and I aren’t just twins, we’re best friends. Literally inseparable,” she said.
“During my darkest time…she and my brother-in-law Dr. Kelley took me in with my son when we needed refuge and protection. Jill is the kindest, most generous person I know.
“We played tennis together. She played net and I served. We also played softball together. She was the catcher and I pitched. We love to cook. I usually bake and she sautés.
“We used to study together. I love math, she loves science and she excels in chemistry. We love to play piano and play chess.
“Jill has lovingly supported me through the years and I plan to love and support her unconditionally.”
Natalie Khawam lost an ugly child custody dispute with ex-husband Grayson Wolfe despite the letters written on her behalf by David Petraeus and General John Allen.
The judge said he had serious concerns and reservations over her mental stability and her grasp on reality and accused her of “outrageous conduct”, “bad faith litigation tactics”, and “illogical thinking” before awarding full custody to the father, who had been unable to see his child for more than a year.
According to the New York Post, Grayson Wolfe, won sole custody of the boy after the judge found out Natalie Khawam, a lawyer, repeatedly lied under oath and filed false domestic-violence and child-abuse claims against her husband.
Natalie Khawam was also accused of defying court orders to allow her estranged husband access to their son and sent emails to his friends and colleagues telling them he was a “horrible father and husband”.
Gloria Allred described her client as “a loving, caring mother” as well as a “highly educated academic scholar and a successful attorney”.
She described Jill Kelley’s relationship with David Petraeus as “social”.
Asked whether Natalie Khawam had visited the White House, Gloria Allred said she had been there “essentially for a tour” but declined to say who had been the host.
Neither Gloria Allred nor Natalie Khawam would speak about John Allen or go into any detail about David Petraues.
Gloria Allred’s clients include former porn star Joslyn James and nightclub promoter Rachel Uchitel, for whom Allred reportedly helped win $10 million from Tiger Woods.
She is renowned as the go-to lawyer for women who find themselves caught up in celebrity scandals and has defended women against stars such as Charlie Sheen, Eddie Murphy, and Rob Lowe.
Jill Kelley, the Florida socialite at the centre of the David Petraeus sex scandal, took multiple flights on military aircraft at taxpayers expenses, it was claimed today.
Jill Kelley even reportedly flew to Washington D.C. with General John Allen – the military commander she is said to have exchanged tens of thousands of emails with while he was in Afghanistan.
It is not known why Jill Kelley, 37, flew to the U.S. capital with John Allen but it has emerged that in recent months she has had three visits to the White House.
The mother of three from Tampa has so far refused to comment publicly on her role in the scandal that ended the career of CIA Director David Petraeus and put the distinguished career of General John Allen in jeopardy.
The commander of the coalition forces in Afghanistan is under investigation for “flirty” emails said to number as many as 30,000 that he exchanged with Jill Kelley.
An investigation by 10 News Tampa has revealed that Jill Kelley, whose complaint over threatening emails revealed David Petraeus’ affair, has enjoyed several trips on military planes.
The news stations said they have made several requests to defense officials to see how many times Jill Kelley has flown from the MacDill Air Force base where she acted as an unpaid social liaison officer.
Pentagon officials told News 10 they have not been able to track down the exact number of flights. But they did confirm she flew on a KC-135 jet in May 2010.
The KC-135 jets are primarily used to refuel other aircraft in mid-air.
“It’s an educational opportunity for people to just see what hard working military members are doing each day,” Lt. Col. Jack Miller told the TV station.
Jill Kelley, the Florida socialite at the centre of the David Petraeus sex scandal, took multiple flights on military aircraft at taxpayers expenses
Officials said about 150 people each year take an orientation flight at MacDill, with the flights leaving and then returning to Tampa.
“I’ve seen anything from community leaders to Cub Scouts to sports teams.
“But by in large, it’s generally folks throughout the community that just have an interest in the instillation. Sometimes it’s just a matter of requesting to do it.”
Jill Kelley, who is mired in debt and facing foreclosure on her $1.3 million home overlooking Tampa Bay, sparked the investigation into David Petraeus after she went to the FBI after receiving threatening emails from Paula Broadwell, the general’s biographer.
The latest example of how she rubbed shoulders with the military’s top brass comes after it emerged she has visited the White House three times in the past three months.
Jill Kelley and her twin sister, Natalie Khawam, were invited to two “courtesy” meals in the Executive Mansion mess hall as a guest of a White House aide.
She met the mid-level aide through her work with MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, where she also rubbed shoulders with the military bosses including General David Petraeus.
On one further occasion, she received a White House tour with her family, the official added.
It confirms that Jill Kelley was telling the truth in an email she wrote to a reporter at the Tampa Bay Times on September 28, in which she boasted of visiting the White House.
“Btw I was made the [honorary] Ambassador to US Central Command’s Coalition!” Jill Kelley wrote.
“In addition to that, I was just recently appointed to be the Honorary Consulate General to South Korea! I’m in DC today – just left from breakfast at the White House…. I really hope to see you soon!”
In further examples of her attempts to use her contacts to her advantage, Jill Kelley sent a string of pleading emails to the Tampa Mayor, complaining she has been receiving threats and claiming: “The truth will one day prevail.”
The anguished messages, seen by the Tampa Bay Times, were sent to Bob Buckhorn, whom she knows socially, and claimed her children were scared and her husband had been forced to sleep at work.
Holly Petraeus has reportedly threatened David Petraeus with divorce after she was left humiliated by his affair with Paula Broadwell
Holly Petraeus, former CIA director’s wife of 38 years, has reportedly threatened David Petraeus with divorce after she was left “humiliated” by his affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, it has been claimed today.
Holly Petraeus is reportedly “furious” about the affair, which forced her husband to resign from the top of the CIA ten days ago, and is demanding to know how many other women he has shared trysts with throughout their marriage.
“She can’t turn on a television, go online or open a newspaper without being bombarded by the latest revelations about his cheating,” a source told the National Enquirer.
“No wonder she’s angry. David has been falling all over himself, apologizing and begging Holly to forgive him, but she isn’t listening. After all his lies, she doesn’t believe anything he says anymore, and she’s thinking about consulting a divorce attorney.”
The source claimed Holly Petraeus has suspicions that her husband had an affair with Jill Kelley, the Florida socialite who sparked his downfall after tipping off the FBI about threatening emails from Paula Broadwell.
While David Petraeus denies they have ever been involved, Holly Petraeus is uncertain and keeps demanding to know how many other women he has cheated on her with, the source said.
Jill Kelley has also denied any wrongdoing and said in a statement she was simply a friend of David Petraeus, whom she met through her work at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.
Holly and David Petraeus attended lavish garden parties at Jill Kelley’s Tampa, Florida mansion, where she lives with her husband, their three children and her twin sister, Natalie Khawam.
The Petraeuses have been married 38 years after meeting on a blind date when David Petraeus was a student at the military academy at West Point, where Holly’s father was the superintendent.
David Petraeus graduated in June 1947 and the couple married the following month, before going on to have two children, Ann and Stephen, and travelling throughout the world with his work.
Despite moving 24 times in 38 years, Holly Petraeus has also built her own career.
She became a volunteer, performing military and family support roles on bases, before working with service members as a financial advocate to ensure they were treated fairly by businesses.
In 2011, Holly Petraeus was appointed to the newly-created Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as head of the Office of Servicemember Affairs, a post she still holds.
Holly Petraeus’ threats of divorce come little more than a month after she and her husband were the picture of unity at their daughter’s wedding – three months after David Petraeus’ affair with Paula Broadwell had come to an end.
But on November 9, he stepped down from the CIA after the FBI uncovered his relationship with Paula Broadwell.
The affair was discovered after Paula Broadwell sent a string of “threatening” emails to military party planner Jill Kelley, whom she deemed a threat.
According to friends, Jill Kelley considered some of the anonymous messages death threats, after Paula Broadwell vowed to make Kelley “go away” – and the concerned housewife contacted the FBI.
The anonymous emails contained classified information about David Petraeus’ whereabouts and, thinking there had been a potential national security breach, the FBI was forced to investigate.
During their probe, they traced the emails back to Paula Broadwell and also uncovered emails revealing her months-long affair with David Petraeus, whom she had first met as a student in 2006.
In interviews and her biography of David Petraeus, All In, Paula Broadwell lauded Holly Petraeus as a “wonderful source of information” and revealed that she had read the book and enjoyed it.
In the book, Paula Broadwell recounted details from dozens of hours of interviews between Holly and David Petraeus in a description of how the couple met and fell in love.
Paula Broadwell described the relationship as virtually unbreakable – while at the same time carrying on an illicit affair with David behind Holly Petraeus’ back.
The “threatening” emails sent by Paula Broadwell to Florida socialite Jill Kelley – that eventually uncovered Broadwell’s affair with David Petraeus – vowed to make her perceived rival “go away”, it has been claimed.
The messages sent to Jill Kelley, who contacted the FBI after receiving them in May, were so menacing that the military party planner feared for her life, according to a friend.
The friend, who has not been identified, said that Jill Kelley, a military party planner in Tampa, had called her to seek advice after receiving the messages and read them out over the phone.
Speaking to the New York Daily News, she described the messages as much more threatening than originally reported, adding: “Any normal person who got emails like that would have immediately called police.”
In the messages, which were sent anonymously, Paula Broadwell promised to “make you go away” and boasted about her military background and having “powerful” friends, the Daily News reported.
“This wasn’t just a case of cyber-bullying,” the friend said.
“[Jill Kelley] was scared for her life. She had reason to be. These emails are the real thing. When she read them to me, I literally had the shivers.”
The Wall Street Journal previously reported that, in one email, Paula Broadwell had accused Jill Kelley of touching “him” underneath a table and asked if Kelley’s husband was aware of her actions.
In another, Paula Broadwell asked: “Who do you think you are?”
The threatening emails sent by Paula Broadwell to Florida socialite Jill Kelley vowed to make her perceived rival go away
Paula Broadwell also accused Jill Kelley, a David Petraeus family friend, of “parad[ing] around the base”, adding: “You need to take it down a notch.”
But the threatening emails, which had previously been described as “cat-fight stuff”, led to Paula Broadwell’s undoing after Jill Kelley contacted a friend in the FBI about the messages.
The anonymous emails contained classified information about David Petraeus’ whereabouts and, thinking there had been a potential national security breach, the FBI was forced to investigate.
During their probe, they traced the emails back to Paula Broadwell and also uncovered emails revealing her months-long affair with CIA boss David Petraeus, whose biography she had penned.
But investigators also found tens of thousands of emails between Jill Kelley and General John R. Allen, head of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and deemed some “inappropriate” and “flirtatious”.
General John Allen, a married father of two, is now under investigation, but both he and Jill Kelley deny any wrongdoing.
Jill Kelley has also denied being any more than friends with David Petraeus and released a statement saying: “We and our family have been friends with Gen. Petraeus for over five years. We respect his family’s privacy and want the same for us and our three children.”
Jill Kelley’s twin sister sister, Natalie Khawam, has also been dragged into the scandal, with reports detailing her troubled child custody battles and shrewd socializing skills. Celebrity attorney Gloria Allred is now representing her.
The latest revelations about the contents of the emails – which eventually led to David Petraeus’ resignation from the CIA on November 9 – come as Paula Broadwell moved back home with her husband and children.
US Attorney General Eric Holder is reportedly staying on in his position for at least another year past President Barack Obama’s first term, according to Fox News.
Barack Obama had previously asked Eric Holder to continue in his role beyond January and Holder accepted his request, but they did not specify a timeline, the Wall Street Journal had reported earlier.
There was some uncertainty as to whether Eric Holder would stay on in the administration after he told a college audience in Baltimore earlier this month that he had not made up his mind on the matter.
“Do I think that there are things that I still want to do? Do I have some gas left in the tank?” Eric Holder mused.
Eric Holder was under fire last week as questions emerged over why he did not tell Barack Obama that ex-CIA Director David Petraeus was having an affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
He was told by the FBI that they were investigating the relationship between the director of the CIA and Paula Broadwell in late summer, but he appears not to have shared the information with anyone else.
Barack Obama did not find out about the scandal until after the election, just two days before David Petraeus resigned, even though senior officials had apparently been aware of it for months.
Attorney General Eric Holder is reportedly staying on in his position for at least another year past President Barack Obama’s first term
Eric Holder was also under fire in July, when the Republican-controlled House of Representatives charged him with contempt of Congress over the “Fast and Furious” gun-running scandal.
The charges were a reaction to Eric Holder’s refusal to turn over to lawmakers all of the Justice Department documents they demanded on the botched gun-tracking operation.
Republicans questioned how much the Justice Department – and the White House – knew about the operation, which allowed U.S. guns to be moved into Mexico in hopes of tracking them to drug traffickers.
The operation backfired when at least one of those guns was used to kill a U.S. Border Patrol agent in 2010.
The White House denied any involvement in the program.
Natalie Khawam, Jill Kelley’s twin sister, has reportedly enlisted Gloria Allred’s help, more than a week after her involvement in the cheating scandal that has led to his downfall of CIA Director David Petraeus.
Gloria Allred and Natalie Khawam are holding a press conference on Tuesday morning.
Natalie Khawam is the twin sister of Jill Kelley, the Florida socialite who blew the lid off the secret relationship between David Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell, after Broadwell sent Kelley threatening emails.
The twins’ brother, David Khawam, confirmed to ABC News that Natalie Khawam had hired Gloria Allred.
On Friday, Gloria Allred blasted the media coverage surrounding the women involved in the David Petraeus scandal.
Gloria Allred told the Daily Caller: “[M]y personal feeling on this matter is that women are being depicted in a negative and stereotypical manner which appears to be very unfair to all of them.”
But it’s unclear exactly what Gloria Allred would be representing Natalie Khawam for, but she has had legal issues in the past.
One was a brutal child custody dispute with ex-husband Grayson Wolfe.
Natalie Khawam has enlisted Gloria Allred’s help, more than a week after her involvement in the David Petraeus cheating scandal
Natalie Khawam suffered defeat in that case despite letters written on her behalf by David Petraeus and General John Allen, who was later revealed to be exchanging thousands of “flirtatious” emails with Jill Kelley.
The judge had resoundingly denied custody to Natalie Khawam, saying he had serious concerns and reservations over her mental stability and her grasp on reality.
He also cited her with “outrageous conduct”, “bad faith litigation tactics”, and “illogical thinking” before awarding full custody to the father – who had been unable to see his child for more than a year.
The New York Post claimed her estranged husband, Grayson Wolfe, won sole custody of the boy after the judge found out Natalie Khawam, a lawyer, repeatedly lied under oath and filed false domestic-violence and child-abuse claims against her husband.
Natalie Khawam was also accused of defying court orders to allow her estranged husband access to their son and sent emails to his friends and colleagues telling them he was a “horrible father and husband”.
But her troubles don’t just end there. Natalie Khawam is also currently being sued in Montgomery County for failing to pay the lawyer’s fees in her divorce – believed to be in the region of $100,000.
The case has been on the court docket for nearly a-year-and-a-half but took a backward step in April when she filed for bankruptcy.
On the bankruptcy filing, Natalie Khawam lists $3.2 million in unpaid debt, plus $53,000 she owes the Internal Revenue Service.
A week after the nation learned of Paula Broadwell’s months-long affair with CIA boss David Petraeus, it appears as if her husband, Dr. Scott Broadwell, is getting the support he needs.
Dr. Scott Broadwell has been pictured embracing a friend in the doorway of his Charlotte, North Carolina home a day after he returned with his shamed wife and their two sons.
Paula Broadwell, who was photographed on the school run and carrying out errands on Monday as she struggled to get back to normality, has told friends she deeply regrets the damage to her family.
A close friend has revealed Paula Broadwell is desperately trying to repair the damage and move forward.
After the scandal broke more than a week ago following David Petraeus’ resignation as director of the CIA, she stayed with her brother at his home in Washington D.C. but returned to North Carolina yesterday.
Dr. Scott Broadwell has been pictured at his Charlotte, North Carolina home a day after he returned with his shamed wife and their two sons
The family was welcomed by a group of friends and neighbors on her return, and a friend – who did not want to be named – said that Paula Broadwell was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
Paula Broadwell maintained her stony silence after being confronted by a number of reporters when she pulled up in an SUV, according to WSOC-TV.
Dr. Scott Broadwellrefused to comment, but appeared happy to joke about the media circus which has surrounded his family since November 9 – the day David Petraeus resigned.
Stephen Kranz, brother of David Petraeus’ biographer-turned-mistress, Paula Broadwell, has revealed how she is “incredibly sorry” for hurting her family and has acknowledged she made a mistake.
Stephen Kranz spoke out after his sister returned to her home in Charlotte, North Carolina with her husband Scott and their young sons after hiding out at his Washington D.C. mansion for a week.
“She’s been devastated by this,” Stephen Kranz told People Magazine.
“She is filled with guilt and shame for what she’s done and she’s incredibly sorry for the pain she’s caused her husband, her family, Petraeus’s family. She accepts responsibility for her actions and knows she made a mistake.”
Stephen Kranz added that Paula Broadwell is now committed to repairing the damage to her family and protecting her children from the furor following the months-long affair and David Petraeus’ resignation.
It comes as her husband, Dr. Scott Broadwell, was pictured embracing a friend in the doorway of their home the day after returning with his shamed wife – in a sign he is getting much-needed support from loved ones.
Paula Broadwell was also pictured on Monday during the school run and as she carried out errands, suggesting she is attempting to get back to normality after the massive military scandal.
Paula Broadwell is now committed to repairing the damage to her family and protecting her children from the furor following the months-long affair and David Petraeus’ resignation
As the family returned home on Sunday, they were welcomed by a group of friends and neighbors, and a close friend – who did not want to be named – said Paula Broadwell was overwhelmed by the support.
Paula Broadwell maintained her stony silence after being confronted by a number of reporters when she pulled up in an SUV, according to WSOC-TV.
Dr. Scott Broadwell refused to comment, but appeared happy to joke about the media circus which has surrounded his family since November 9 – the day David Petraeus resigned.
Paula Broadwell was wearing large sunglasses and showed no emotion as she tried to hide her face from waiting photographers.
Dr. Scott Broadwell revealed that the family would be releasing a statement soon, but did not elaborate on when it would be.
Former CIA Director General David Petraeus has hired Robert Barnett, a top Washington lawyer, to help him navigate the fallout from a career-ending affair, Reuters has confirmed.
Robert Barnett of Williams & Connolly, is known for negotiating book deals for the political elite, from President Barack Obama to one-time vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
Robert Barnett will help David Petraeus as he exits government, Reuters confirmed.
The news was first reported by Politico, which said that no book is planned.
The CIA, the Justice Department and Congress are investigating David Petraeus’ conduct over the extra-marital affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
David Petraeus has said his resignation was solely because of the affair and that he did not give classified information to Paula Broadwell.
Robert Barnett has been a partner at Williams& Connolly in Washington for 34 years, according to a biography of him posted on the firm’s website.
In that time, he has built an unconventional practice representing best-selling authors, political leaders, television news correspondents and other high-profile clients.
David Petraeus has hired Robert Barnett, a top Washington lawyer, to help him navigate the fallout from a career-ending affair
In addition to Barack Obama and Sarah Palin, other authors he has represented include novelist Mary Higgins Clark and entertainer Barbra Streisand.
Robert Barnett has also helped former government officials from across the political spectrum navigate their return to private life, including former U.S. presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, former secretary of state Madeleine Albright, and former members of Congress.
He joined Williams & Connolly in 1975 and became a partner in 1978.
The news of David Petraeus attaining council comes the day after the White House announced that it did not heavily alter talking points about the attacks on a U.S. diplomatic mission in Libya, an official said on Saturday.
“If there were adjustments made to them within the intelligence community, that’s common, and that’s something they would have done themselves,” Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser, told reporters.
“The only edit … made by the White House was the factual edit as to how to refer to the facility.”
After a closed-door hearing with former CIA Director David Petraeus on Friday, Republican Representative Peter King said that unclassified talking points prepared by the CIA for use by lawmakers about the September 11 attack originally pointed specifically to al Qaeda involvement. Peter King said they were edited before being cleared for use.
Ben Rhodes said the White House, and also the State Department, changed references to a “conflict” at diplomatic facilities, “because the conflict in Benghazi was not formally a conflict. Other than that we worked off the points that were provided by the intelligence community, so I can’t speak to any other edits that may have been made”.
The head of the House Intelligence Committee suggested on Sunday that President Barack Obama might have known about former CIA Director David Petraeus’ extra-marital affair before the November election, and said Attorney General Eric Holder should address this question soon before Congress.
U.S. Representative Mike Rogers, a Republican, said Eric Holder’s statement that the Justice Department had not informed the president before the election implied that Holder might have told Barack Obama privately.
Mike Rogers noted that the FBI investigation of the communications between David Petraeus and his biographer Paula Broadwell arose due to concern over a counter-intelligence threat. Both David Petraeus and Paula Broadwell have said they did not share any security secrets, and investigators have said they have found no security breach.
“It probably should have been brought forward earlier as a national security threat,” Mike Rogers said.
“I’m not sure that the president was not told before Election Day. The attorney general said that the Department of Justice did not notify the president, but we don’t know if the attorney general…[notified him],” he said.
Mike Rogers said Eric Holder should come before the intelligence committees to discuss it.
“We could resolve this very quickly with a conversation in the intelligence spaces if he did have that conversation with the president.”
Barack Obama may have known about David Petraeus affair with Paula Broadwell before election
Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein disagreed, saying Holder had explained to the intelligence committees there was no notification while the investigation was under way. Justice and the FBI took this approach, she said, “so there is an ability to move ahead without any political weighing-in on any side”.
David Petraeus admitted to the affair and resigned his post at the CIA three days after Barack Obama was elected to a second term on November 6.
Republican U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham called the FBI investigation of the affair “the oddest story in the world” and doubted Barack Obama knew before the election.
“I could see how he would not know,” he said.
Paula Broadwell is devastated by the fallout from her affair with David Petraeus, a close friend of hers revealed on Sunday night as she returned to family home after several days in hiding.
The friend said that Paula Broadwell deeply regrets the damage that has been done to her family and others, and insisted she was trying to repair that and move forward.
Paula Broadwell, who was writing a biography of David Petraeus when they started an extra-marital affair, has been staying with her brother in Washington DC ever since news of the relationship broke more than a week ago.
But she moved back in to her home in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, accompanied by her husband and their two children.
The family was welcomed by a group of friends and neighbors on her return, and a friend – who did not want to be named – said that Paula Broadwell was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.
Paula Broadwell maintained her stony silence after being confronted by a number of reporters when she pulled up in an SUV, according to WSOC-TV.
Paula Broadwell moved back in to her home in Charlotte, North Carolina on Sunday, accompanied by her husband and their two children
Her husband, Dr. Scott Broadwell refused to comment, but appeared happy to joke about the media circus which has surrounded his family since last Friday, when the scandal became public following David Petraeus’ resignation as director of the CIA.
Paula broadwell was wearing large sunglasses and showed no emotion as she tried to hide her face from waiting photographers.
Scott Broadwell was asked: “Is there anything at all you’d like to say, Scott? Now’s your chance, this is it.”
But after pausing for a moment, he simply replied: “No comment at this time.”
Scott Broadwell later returned to the driveway to take groceries out of the car and joked with reporters, saying: “I’ll be out here Tuesday taking out trash, if you want to shoot that.”
The doctor revealed that the family would be releasing a statement soon, but did not elaborate on when it would be.
Paula and Scott Broadwell were seen in public for the first time on Saturday night returning to her brother’s $2.3 million home after apparently going out for dinner in the Washington area.
Looking stern and taking the lead from her husband, Paula Broadwell did not speak to the gathered news reporters as she marched into her sibling’s home.
It was the first time that Paula Broadwell had been seen since Tuesday evening, when she was photographed wearing a hot pink top in the kitchen of her brother’s home.
Friends and family of the pair told reporters in the wake of the affair revelations that the Broadwells had built a happy home in Charlotte, where they live with their two sons, Lucien 6, and Landon, 4.
The White House did not heavily alter talking points about the attacks on US diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, an official said on Saturday.
“If there were adjustments made to them within the intelligence community, that’s common, and that’s something they would have done themselves,” Ben Rhodes, deputy national security adviser, told reporters.
“The only edit … made by the White House was the factual edit as to how to refer to the facility.”
After a closed-door hearing with former CIA Director David Petraeus on Friday, Republican Representative Peter King said that unclassified talking points prepared by the CIA for use by lawmakers about the September 11 attack originally pointed specifically to al Qaeda involvement. Peter King said they were edited before being cleared for use.
Ben Rhodes said the White House, and also the State Department, changed references to a “conflict” at diplomatic facilities, “because the conflict in Benghazi was not formally a conflict. Other than that we worked off the points that were provided by the intelligence community, so I can’t speak to any other edits that may have been made”.
After David Petraeus hearing on Friday, it emerged that unclassified talking points prepared by the CIA for use by lawmakers about Benghazi attack originally pointed specifically to al Qaeda involvement
The assault on the US mission and nearby CIA annex in Benghazi has turned into a flash point between Democratic President Barack Obama and Republicans.
Republicans accuse the White House and in particular the US ambassador to the United Nations, Susan Rice, of misleading the public just after the attack by suggesting the assault was a spontaneous act instead of a planned terrorist operation. The Obama administration denies misleading anyone and says it discussed information about the Benghazi tragedy as it came in.
“What I can say is those points, and what Susan said, indicated that we believed extremists were involved in this attack,” Ben Rhodes said.
Linked arm-in-arm, Paula Broadwell and her husband, Dr. Scott Broadwell, were seen together yesterday evening for the first time since the news broke of her affair with shamed former CIA Director David Petraeus.
Arriving at her brother’s home in the Mount Pleasant suburb of Washington D.C. in a black SUV, Paula and Scott Broadwell put on what was a clear show of solidarity as they marched from the garage to the back door of the $2.3 million property.
Since the scandalous revelations surrounding his wife first surfaced just over a week ago, Scott Broadwell has been conspicuous for his absence and his appearance last night indicates that he is standing by the West Point Graduate.
Looking stern and taking the lead from her husband, Paula Broadwell did not speak to the gathered news reporters as she marched into her sibling’s home.
Presumably, the pair had been out that evening, possibly at dinner and it is not clear when Scott Broadwell arrived at the home or when Paula herself left.
Indeed, this is the first time that Paula Broadwell has been seen since Tuesday evening, when she was photographed wearing a hot pink top in the kitchen of her brother’s home.
She has been holed up there since returning from what was supposed to be a romantic get-away with Scott Broadwell to celebrate her 40th birthday – which was curtailed when news of the Petraeus affair broke over one week ago.
Friends and family of the pair told reporters in the wake of the affair revelations that the Broadwell’s had built a happy home in Charlotte, North Carolina, where they live with their two sons, Lucien 6, and Landon, 4.
Paula Broadwell and Dr. Scott Broadwell were seen together for the first time since the David Petraeus scandal broke
Dr. Scott Broadwell, 43, a radiologist, works at a hospital in the southern city and he and his wife “love to do Crossfit, run, ski and surf together”, according to a biography of Paula Broadwell published by the University of Denver,
In January, while promoting her now fated biography of David Petraeus, Paula Broadwell told the Charlotte Observer that she met Scott in Germany and described them both as “adventure junkies”.
At an alumni event for the University of Denver in October, Paula Broadwell said it was “very difficult to start a family” when the two of them were on active duty.
“We had decided before we got married that every other move would be the other person’s choice, since we are both very career-oriented,” said Paula Broadwell at the event, according to the Daily Beast.
“And he chose Colorado, he chose Denver.”
They moved into their $800,000 two-story brick home in Charlotte’s Dilworth suburb in 2009 and Scott Broadwell became an employee of Charlotte Radiology at the same time.
In the January interview with the Charlotte Observer Paula Broadwell said that when she was abroad with David Petraeus in Afghanistan, Scott and her mother took care of their two sons.
Scott Broadwell and his wife have also been involved in a number of groups that work to benefit veterans of the armed forces.
Since the affair broke, their home has been empty and visible on the driveway is power-washed writing, which reads in a flourishing font: “Dad loves Mom.”
Paula Broadwell’s affair with David Petraeus was exposed after she sent a series of messages to Florida socialite Jill Kelly, apparently warning her off her lover.
Jill Kelley, the Florida housewife at the centre of the David Petraeus scandal, was given access to the White House on three separate occasion thanks to a lawyer friend who works for the administration, according to recent reports.
Jill Kelley and her twin sister, Natalie Khawam, had two “courtesy” meals in the mess at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue as guests of a mid-level aide in September and October, a White House official said.
The socialite and her family also received a tour of the presidential residence on the weekend before the November 6 election.
Jill Kelley met the aid, an attorney, through her work with MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, where she also rubbed shoulders with the military’s top brass, including General David Petraeus.
David Petraeus’ biographer-turned-mistress Paula Broadwell also reportedly visited the White House before her illicit affair with Petraeus was made public following an FBI investigation launched with Kelley’s help.
Neither woman met with President Barack Obama during their visits, a White House official said.
Paula Broadwell, who was writing a book about David Petraeus and eventually became his paramour, attended meetings in June 2009 and June 2011 on Afghanistan-Pakistan policy in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, which is located in the White House complex, the official said.
The White House visits by Paula Broadwell and Jill Kelley illustrate the wide-ranging access both women enjoyed because of their ties with David Petraeus, General John Allen and others in the close-knit military community.
Jill Kelley and her twin sister, Natalie Khawam, had two courtesy meals at the White House as guests of a mid-level aide in September and October
The White House official discussed their visits on condition of anonymity because the visitors logs being cited have yet to be made public.
Tampa Bay Times reported that on November 4, two days before the presidential election and less than a week before David Petraeus tendered his resignation after acknowledging his affair with Paula Broadwell, Jill Kelley, her twin sister, Natalie Khawam, their children and her husband, Dr. Scott Kelley, went on a tour of the White House.
On October 24, Jill Kelley and Natalie Khawam had lunch in the White House with a staffer, who also had breakfast with the Kelleys on September 28.
Jill Kelley was an Honorary Consul to South Korea, which is why she said she visited the White House in September.
The attorney who ushered Jill Kelley and her family through the doors of America’s most famous residence has not been identified by the White House, saying that his name will be made public once the visitor logs are released.
However, an official said the aid had gotten to know Jill Kelley through connections to MacDill.
The man worked as a civilian lawyer in Afghanistan and got to form relationships with military personnel, who invited him to MacDill where he met Jill Kelley. He now works as a lawyer in the White House.
Just like many other four-star generals and national intelligence chiefs, Bubba the Love Sponge had dealings with Tampa socialite and some-time honorary consul for South Korea, Jill Kelley.
Adding a tawdry new level to the Petraeus scandal, it has emerged that 37-year-old Jill Kelley and Bubba the Love Sponge, real name Todd Alan Clem, crossed paths when she involved herself in a spat over the radio host’s claims that he was going to deep fat fry a Koran earlier this year.
Bubba the Love Sponge has recently been in the news for settling a lawsuit with Hulk Hogan after he allegedly filmed the legendary wrestler and his then wife Heather Clem having sex and released it online.
When the Florida shock jock threatened to deep fat fry a Koran, General John Allen , the commander of the U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan and CIA Director David Petraeus both spoke to social climbing Jill Kelley asking to help them with a potential threat to the safety of serving American troops.
Emails released yesterday sent between Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn and Jill Kelley reveal that she was indeed acting at the behest of high-level U.S. government officials and implored the mayor to act.
“I have Petraeus & Allen both emailing me about getting this dealt with,” Jill Kelley wrote to Bob Buckhorn on March 7th.
The previous day, Jill Kelley told Bobb Buckhorn of similar requests she had received from General John Allen and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command in Tampa.
“I just got off the phone with Gen. Allen & Adm Harward,” Jill Kelley wrote.
“I’m going to need your assistance, vice versa with the potential crises we’ll be dealing with.”
When Bob Buckhorn responded to say it was being dealt with, Jill Kelley said: “They asked me to get involved, like I did when it happened with the Pastor last year.”
The emails offer proof that Jill Kelley may not have been boasting of her contacts with high level military figures and indeed show that she was in regular communication with General John Allen and David Petraeus.
Just like many other four-star generals and national intelligence chiefs, Bubba the Love Sponge had dealings with Tampa socialite and some-time honorary consul for South Korea, Jill Kelley
This episode with Bubba the Love Sponge came right before she complained to a FBI agent about threatening emails she was receiving from Paula Broadwell who began an inquiry that uncovered her affair with the retired four-star general.
In addition the resignation of David Petraeus as CIA Director triggered a separate investigation that found “potentially inappropriate” email correspondence between General John Allen and Jill Kelley.
At the time of Jill Kelley’s emails about Bubba the Love Sponge military officials genuinely concerned that a Koran being deep fat fried would have disastrous consequences for U.S. troops serving in Muslim countries.
“It was absolutely a concern,” said Lt. Col. T.G. Taylor, CentCom spokesman to NBC News.
Revealing that he called Bubba the Love Sponge himself, T.G. Taylor said he told him: “Look Bubba, somebody’s going to get hurt if you do this.”
He was “completely reasonable and said he understood”, T.G. Taylor added.
The disc jockey told the Tampa Bay Times that he abandoned his plans to deep fat fry because a local law enforcement officer told him of the dangers to U.S. troops.
Reveling in his new found connection to the highest echelons of U.S. military power, Bubba the Love Sponge ordered one of his radio shows trucks to circle Jill Kelley’s Tampa home today playing a parody to the tune of Falco’s Rock me Amadeus about David Petraeus.
At the end of October, former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan settled a lawsuit with Bubba the Love Sponge over a sex tape involving Hogan and the DJ’s wife.
After the agreement between the former best friends, Hulk Hogan’s publicist said the terms of the settlement were confidential.
Hulk Hogan said in the lawsuit filed in October that he had consensual sex with his best friend’s wife, Heather Clem, six years ago in the Clems’ home, but he didn’t know he was being videotaped.
The disc jockey, Bubba the Love Sponge, apologized to Hulk Hogan and said that he’s convinced Hogan was unaware he was being filmed.
A lawsuit is still pending against the gossip website Gawker, which put excerpts of the video on its site.
With world’s media camped on her doorstep and her name and face plastered all over the news, Florida socialite Jill Kelley decided to lash out at Paula Broadwell, the woman she blamed for her life being turned upside down.
Branding Paula Broadwell, the mistress of General Petraeus a “criminal”, Jill Kelley pleaded with the city’s mayor Bob Buckhorn to intervene and remove the press from outside her house.
As recently as Wednesday, Jill Kelley was trading emails with Bob Buckhorn as the fall out from her complaint about threatening emails from Paula Broadwell intensified into the biggest sex scandal for decades.
“As you see on tv, my name (including Gen Petraeus & Allen) and home have been exploited by the media,” Jill Kelley wrote to Bob Buckhorn in an email time stamped 6:18 a.m. Wednesday.
“I wouldn’t care – if they got the facts right and focus on the criminal that stalked all of us. But the truth will one day prevail,” she continued, in an apparent reference to Paula Broadwell.
Jill Kelley lashed out at Paula Broadwell, branding her a criminal who stalked her family
Jill Kelley has been tied to the scandal that prompted the resignation of retired General David Petraeus as CIA director.
David Petraeus admitted having an affair with his married biographer, Paula Broadwell.
Federal officials say Paula Broadwell sent emails to Jill Kelley, perceiving her as a romantic rival. That FBI investigation uncovered emails between Jill Kelley and General John Allen during his time as head of Central Command in Tampa.
She boasted of connections to David Petraeus and other high-ranking officials, and she sought Bob Buckhorn’s presence at events ranging from hosting a group of VIPs from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Nepal to her daughter’s birthday party.
Natalie Khawam and her twin sister Jill Kelley, the Florida housewife whose complaint over threatening emails revealed David Petraeus’ affair, have visited the White House three times in the past three months, it has emerged today.
In by far the most astonishing example of her determination to reach the top, Jill Kelley and Natalie Khawam were invited to two “courtesy” meals in the Executive Mansion mess hall as a guest of a White House aide, an Obama administration official has revealed.
Jill Kelley met the mid-level aide through her work with MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, where she also rubbed shoulders with the military’s top brass, including General David Petraeus.
On one further occasion, she received a White House tour with her family, the official added.
This latest revelation shows just how far Jill Kelley soared from her humble beginnings as the daughter of Lebanese immigrants in Pennsylvania to the host of lavish military parties at her Florida mansion.
Natalie Khawam and her twin sister Jill Kelley have visited the White House three times in the past three months
It also suggests that Jill Kelley was telling the truth in an email she wrote to a reporter at the Tampa Bay Times on September 28, in which she boasted of visiting the White House.
“Btw I was made the [honorary] Ambassador to US Central Command’s Coalition!” Jill Kelley wrote.
“In addition to that, I was just recently appointed to be the Honorary Consulate General to South Korea! I’m in DC today – just left from breakfast at the White House…. I really hope to see you soon!”
Further examples also emerged today of how the married mother of three, who is reportedly steeped in debt, has attempted to exploit her connections as she finds herself at the centre of the military scandal.
David Petraeus has told US Congress that the CIA believed almost immediately that al-Qaeda-linked terrorists were behind the September 11th attacks in Benghazi, according to a leading Republican congressman.
Representative Peter King of New York, a member of the House Intelligence Committee that David Petraeus briefed, said that the former general left a “different impression” today than he had when he testified on Capitol Hill three days after the attack.
Now, Peter King said, David Petraeus insisted that the “original talking points prepared by the CIA were different than the final ones put out” and used by Susan Rice, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Sunday talk shows to say – incorrectly – that the attack was sparked by anger over an anti-Islam video made in California.
“The original talking points were much more specific about al-Qaeda involvement and yet the final ones just said <<indications of extremists>> even though it was clearly evident to the CIA that there was al-Qaeda involvement,” Peter King said.
The former CIA director was giving classified testimony and was accompanied by a CIA analyst. Peter King said David Petraeus did not speak under oath.
David Petraeus arrived early Friday for closed hearings on Capitol Hill as lawmakers seek details from the retired general about the September 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the U.S. ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
Peter King said that there was only brief mention by David Petraeus of his affair with biographer Paula Broadwell, which triggered his shock resignation last Friday.
“He was asked at the start did that have any impact on his testimony, he said no…10 seconds into it, that was off to the side.”
David Petraeus has told US Congress that the CIA believed almost immediately that al-Qaeda-linked terrorists were behind the September 11th attacks in Benghazi
The New York congressman said that David Petraeus had explained that the talking points ultimately used by Susan Rice had been altered by inputs by a number of other government agencies after the CIA had made its assessment.
“He said that it goes though a long process, an interagency process and when they came back it was taken out.”
The House Intelligence Committee, which was hearing from David Petraeus before he briefed the Senate Intelligence Committee, met in a secure room several floors below the main area of the Capitol Visitors Centre, where tourists gather when they are visiting Congress.
Republicans and some Democrats have demanded an explanation of why the Obama administration initially described the attack at Benghazi as a protest gone awry, leading to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, diplomat Sean Smith and CIA contractors and former Navy SEALS Glen Doherty and Tyrone Woods.
Five days after attack, the administration sent Susan Rice onto the Sunday news shows to describe what precipitated the assault. She relied on initial intelligence talking points that subsequently proved incorrect.
Deputy CIA Director Mike Morell told the House committee on Thursday that Susan Rice was provided with an unclassified version of events at the American mission, according to Rep. Adam Schiff, D-California, a committee member.
The assessment concluded that a spontaneous protest over anti-Islam video, The Innocence of Muslims, had evolved into an attack on the American consulate, a description that Rice presented in the television interviews.
David Petraeus hoped that by testifying he would put an end to some of the wilder rumors following his resignation over reveal of his affair with Paula Broadwell.
“He did not like the conspiracies going around that somehow he had something to hide on Benghazi,” said retired Colonel Peter Mansoor, who served as David Petraeus’ executive officer in Iraq.
“I think his offer to testify crossed with the Congress’ request to him to testify. But anyway he looks forward to that.”
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Jill Kelley, the Florida housewife whose complaint over threatening emails revealed David Petraeus’ affair, has attempted to exploit her connections once again.
In her first words since her part in the scandal was revealed over the weekend, Jill Kelley has sent a string of pleading emails to the Tampa Mayor, complaining she has been receiving threats and claiming: “The truth will one day prevail.”
The anguished messages, seen by the Tampa Bay Times, were sent in the early hours of Tuesday and Wednesday to Bob Buckhorn, whom she knows socially.
Jill Kelley claims her three children are scared to return home and her husband, Dr. Scott Kelley, has been forced to sleep at the hospital because he cannot get into their driveway, due to the swarms of media.
“Dear Mayor Bob,” Jill Kelley wrote, adding that she, David Petraeus and General John R. Allen – whom she was found to have exchanged “flirtatious” emails with – “have been exploited by the media”.
“I wouldn’t care – if they got the facts right and the focus was on the criminal that stalked all of us,” she added, apparently referring to David Petraeus’ mistress Paula Broadwell.
“But the truth will one day prevail.”
It is the second instance of her trying to exploit her “position” – after she called the police asking for “diplomatic protection” from the media due to her role as honorary consul to South Korea.
“I’m an honorary consul general, so I have inviolability, so they should not be able to cross my property,” Jill Kelley told the 911 operator.
“I don’t know if you want to get diplomatic protection involved as well, because that’s against the law to cross my property because, you know, it’s inviolable.”
But the move backfired – with the police releasing the calls to the media and failing to provide her the protection reserved for those in positions of genuine authority.
“To put insult to injury, your police dept gave the local 911 tapes to the press!” Jill Kelley wrote to Bob Buckhorn, adding that the recordings included her cell number, so: “I have been receiving threats all night.”
“I’m scared and cannot believe what my city, in which I have contributed so much of my love, time, money and leadership, has now done to me and my innocent family,” Jill Kelley wrote.
Bob Buckhorn told the Times that he did nothing in response to Jill Kelley’s complaint and simply said that the 911 recordings were public records.
He added that he knew the Kelleys socially after he won the mayoral race in March 2011 – even though they did not support him in his bid and he had never met them before.
Jill Kelley with General David Petraeus and his wife Holly at her home in 2011
Yet just three weeks after Bob Buckhorn was sworn into office, Dr. Scott Kelley and his wife hosted a reception for him at their lavish $1.3 million home on Bayshore Boulevard.
Jill Kelley has since invited Bob Buckhorn to a string of social events, including her daughter’s sixth birthday party, which are also documented by email, the Times reported.
She invited him and his wife to a dinner party for the King of Jordan and, after he was unable to attend, she wrote to him again.
“The King and his sister [the Princess] are awesome people!” Jill Kelley said.
“Actually your name was brought up by the Generals when they were showing off the party I hosted you! (everyone loved that party).”
They met again when Bob Buckhorn and his wife gave her a ride home following an event at MacDill Air Force Base, for which she organized events as a volunteer social liaison officer.
“Gen. [James] Mattis, was so kind to offer, but I realized you two were passing my way,” Jill Kelley emailed the mayor the following day.
Their messages also show how she involved herself in a spat over a radio host’s claims that he was going to deep fat fry the Koran earlier this year, according to the Times.
Officers at MacDill told the mayor that the publicity stunt could harm troops, and asked him to speak with the host.
Jill Kelley also called the mayor to tell them she had been speaking with Gen. John Allen and Vice Admiral Robert Harward, the deputy commander of CentCom, who said they needed the mayor’s help.
When Buckhorn responded to say it was being dealt with, Jill Kelley said “they asked me to get involved, like I did when it happened with the Pastor last year”.
Her shrewd social-climbing tactics also came to light this week when she was pictured with Marco Rubio and her twin sister, Natalie Khawam, when he was running for the Senate.
The photograph was tweeted by Republican Angelette Aviles who said that it was taken at a March 2010 fundraiser, where tickets were $1,000.
But the twins didn’t pay – instead, they appeared, took the photo and left, Angelette Aviles told the Times. They did not contribute to his campaign.
Yet over the past week, Jill Kelley’s connections have given her more exposure than she was perhaps intending.
After David Petraeus dramatically resigned from the top of the CIA last Friday, it emerged that Jill Kelley had played a key role in exposing his affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
In May, Jill Kelley alerted the FBI that she had been receiving threatening, anonymous emails warning her to “back off” David Petraeus, whom Kelley and her husband are good friends with.
The FBI was forced to launch an in-depth investigation as some messages contained classified information about David Petraeus’ whereabouts, and they feared there could have been a security breach.
The Taliban are not usually known for their sense of humor, but when it comes to the troubles of their enemies it seems they can see the lighter side.
A spokesman for the Islamic fundamentalist group this week mocked David Petraeus’ extra-marital affair which led to his resignation as director of the CIA, describing him as a “bastard”.
He added that David Petraeus would have been executed for his adultery under a Taliban regime, and blamed America’s “free sex society” for his infidelity.
David Petraeus was commander of the Western forces in Afghanistan from 2010 to 2011, leading the effort to prevent the Taliban returning to power.
He joined the CIA last year, but suddenly resigned last week after an FBI investigation revealed he had been cheating on his wife with his biographer, Paula Broadwell.
A Taliban official showed unusual levity when asked about the affair Agence France-Presse, bursting out laughing during an interview in Pakistan.
“What a bastard!”, the official said.
“But all Americans are the same, it’s nothing new.”
A spokesman for Taliban group mocked David Petraeus’ extra-marital affair which led to his resignation as director of the CIA, describing him as a bastard
While David Petraeus lost his job over the ongoing scandal, which has also roped in his successor in Afghanistan, General John Allen, the consequences could have been much worse if he lived under a regime controlled by the Taliban.
The anonymous official pointed out that adultery is a capital offence under the laws of the Pashtun people as well as under Islamic sharia law.
“From a Pashtun point of view, Petraeus should be shot by relatives from his mistress’ family,” he said.
“From a sharia point of view, he should be stoned to death.”
David Petraeus may have sacrificed his career and his reputation, but under U.S. law he is not expected to face any criminal charges.
The Taliban official said the former general’s indiscretion was unsurprising, given the permissiveness of Western societies.
“It’s quite normal for Americans and Western people to behave like this,” he told AFP.
“They live in free sex societies where nobody cares about this sort of thing, so what do you expect?”
While radical Islamists may believe that “nobody cares” about sex scandals in the U.S., those who have been dragged in to the Petraeus affair may not feel the same way.
As well as David Petraeus and John Allen, Paula Broadwell and Jill Kelley, a Florida socialite who uncovered the cheating after being sent threatening emails by Broadwell, have found themselves at the centre of a media storm since the scandal first hit last Friday.
Congressmen watched harrowing footage of the US ambassador to Libya, Chris Stevens, being dragged out of the consulate during the terror attack which killed him.
Members of the House and Senate Intelligence Committees were shown a video of Chris Stevens being taken out of the building in Benghazi while it was attacked by radical Islamists on September 11.
The lawmakers watched the video during a hearing in which the acting director of the CIA told them that the administration’s mistaken statements on the causes of the raid were down to incorrect intelligence information.
The footage was shown as part of an attempt by the CIA to provide the fullest account yet of the deadly assault, which left Stevens and three other Americans dead.
It captured some of the last moments of Chris Stevens’ life, showing the attack on the consulate building as well as Stevens being removed from the building as he suffered from the injuries which would eventually kill him.
Mike Morell, the acting CIA director who took over for disgraced boss David Petraeus, told the committees that UN ambassador Susan Rice had been provided with an unclassified version of what happened during the deadly September attack in Libya that was incorrect
Senator Dan Coats told CNN the video was “combination of video from a surveillance camera and a drone”.
He added: “It gave us a good picture, from the surveillance standpoint, what was happening.”
Mike Morell, the acting CIA director who took over for disgraced boss David Petraeus, told the committees that UN ambassador Susan Rice had been provided with an unclassified version of what happened during the deadly September attack in Libya that was incorrect.
Emerging from the session, Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said Michael Morell told the panel that Susan Rice was given an initial assessment that a spontaneous protest over an anti-Muslim video evolved into an attack on the consulate.
Susan Rice’s comments on national talk shows five days after the attack has drawn fierce criticism, with some Senate Republicans vowing to block her nomination if she is tapped to replace Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Adam Schiff said the ambassador’s interview remarks were based on the “best initial assessment”.
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This is the topless photograph which FBI agent Frederick Humphries sent to Florida socialite Jill Kelley, who is at the centre of the David Petraeus sex scandal.
Frederick W. Humphries emailed the picture to Jill Kelley from an account he shared with his wife, two years before he started the investigation which would lead to David Petraeus’ resignation and very public disgrace.
The picture shows Fred Humphries with his shirt off, posing with two bullet-riddled dummies which look remarkably similar to the 47-year-old.
It was Fred Humphries who initiated the investigation into harassing emails sent to Kelley that ultimately led to the resignation of David Petraeus.
Amid the heat of that exposure the news of his own apparent indiscretion was treated as another layer of sexual intrigue in this tangled tale.
In fact, Frederick Humphries insists, it is nothing of the sort. The email was a joke that backfired more spectacularly than he could possibly have imagined and, perhaps, was allowed to.
The image in question was not some leering pose, directed at the object of his desire, but a round-robin joke – the sort of which the 47-year-old Special Agent was in the habit of sending – that ended with a picture punchline.
In stark contrast to the covert “dead drop” technique of Paula Broadwell and David Petraeus’s email correspondence, Fred Humphries’s message was sent from an account he shared with his wife, teacher Sara.
This is the topless photograph which FBI agent Frederick Humphries sent to Florida socialite Jill Kelley, who is at the centre of the David Petraeus sex scandal
The snapshot showing Frederick Humphries – bald, muscular and shirtless – posed between two buff, bullet-ridden target dummies and carrying the punchline: “Which one is Fred?” was framed and displayed on his wife’s desk at work. His supervisor even pinned it on the notice board in the Bureau.
In fact as the Seattle Times reports, one of the newspaper’s staff was among those to receive the email, sent in 2010 shortly after the Special Agent had been transferred from Guantanamo Bay to the Bureau’s Tampa office.
The email was sent on 9 September 2010. All of which points to the motivation of the sources that first leaked word of its existence being mischievous at best.
Because if not quite an Icarus figure fallen to earth, Fred Humphries reputation has certainly been allowed to wilt in the heat of the media glare.
The CIA has opened an investigation into the conduct of its former director David Petraeus, who resigned last week citing an affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell.
A CIA spokesman says the inquiry by the agency’s inspector general would see if there are any lessons to be learned.
Paula Broadwell, 40, was found to have classified information, but both she and General David Petraeus deny it came from him.
David Petraeus will testify on Friday on Capitol Hill about September’s deadly attack on the US consulate in Libya.
The CIA said in a statement on Thursday: “At the CIA we are constantly reviewing our performance. If there are lessons to be learned from this case we’ll use them to improve.
“But we’re not getting ahead of ourselves; an investigation is exploratory and doesn’t presuppose any particular outcome.”
In his first interview since resigning, David Petraeus told CNN on Thursday he had not given any classified information to his former lover.
He also said he quit because of the affair, not the assault two months ago on the consulate in Benghazi that left four Americans dead.
The CIA has opened an investigation into the conduct of its former director David Petraeus, who resigned last week citing an affair with his biographer Paula Broadwell
David Petraeus will be questioned by lawmakers behind closed doors on Friday about that attack, which has been the focus of Republican claims that the Obama administration misled the American people.
Meanwhile, intelligence officials continued on Thursday to defend their handling of the investigation into David Petraeus’ affair.
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and acting CIA Director Michael Morell appeared before the House intelligence committee.
Dutch Ruppersberger, the panel’s top Democrat, said after the hearing that he was satisfied with the FBI’s investigation.
He said the agency was right not to have notified political leaders sooner, because of rules set up post-Watergate to prevent meddling in criminal investigations.
But another committee member, Representative Adam Schiff, also a Democrat, said “there’s a lot of information we need … with respect to the facts about the allegations against General Petraeus”.
At a press conference in New Orleans, US Attorney General Eric Holder was also asked why the justice department did not inform the White House or lawmakers earlier about the investigation.
Eric Holder said: “As we went through the investigation and looked at the facts and tried to examine them as they developed, we felt very secure in the knowledge that a national security threat did not exist.”
The scandal was discovered when FBI officials looked into harassing emails, allegedly from Paula Broadwell, that were sent to a Florida socialite who is a family friend of the Petraeuses.
The inquiry has also ensnared the US and NATO commander in Afghanistan, General John Allen.
John Allen is under investigation for sending what officials describe as “flirtatious” emails to the Tampa hostess, Jill Kelley.
Adultery is illegal under military law, but General John Allen denies wrongdoing.
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The questions and the allegations keep coming in the Petraeus scandal that has blazed for days, reducing the general’s position to dust and licking at the doors of a growing cast of characters.
But the one thing that seemed fireproof was the fact of Paula Broadwell’s academic prowess: until now.
Because Paula Broadwell did not complete that PhD. She did not fulfill the demanding requirements of the public policy programme that facilitated her meeting with David Petraeus. It is a detail she has repeatedly glided over, allowing the truth to slip unnoticed to the floor in each book promoting interview and talk.
Speaking to theBoston Globe, one of Paula Broadwell’s former professors at Harvard recalled her presence at the University: “It was very much, <<I’m here and you’re going to know I’m here>>. She was not someone you would think of as a critical thinker.”
It may not have stretched as far as a convincing answer to the question: “How did she get so close?”
So close that she took classified military documents home; so close that she felt entitled to warn socialite Jill Kelley off the man she clearly considered her own. Nothing quite explained all that.
But her much vaunted intellectual prowess did at least go some way towards bridging that troubling, yawning gap between Paula Broadwell the unknown and Paula Broadwell the soldier- scholar, biographer to David Petraeus. Well it doesn’t anymore.
The details of her shortcomings are unclear but Kennedy School faculty and enrollment records show that Paula Broadwell did not continue at Harvard after two years.
The withering conclusion of one unnamed academic was: “I don’t remember her as a student. I remember her as a personality.”
Paula Broadwell didn’t complete PhD that led to David Petraeus biography
Presumably it was that personality that relieved David Petraeus of his critical faculties when he invited Paula Broadwell well and truly into his camp.
Paula Broadwell left Harvard with a lesser diploma in 2008, a master of public administration, after one additional semester.
According to her former professor news that she was to become David Petraeus’s biographer shocked many in the national security faculty at Harvard because, “she just didn’t have the background – the academic background, the national security background, or the writing background”.
On the face of it the extent to which David Petraeus let his guard down is breathtaking. Certainly it is an act he rues today. He has told his friend Colonel Peter Mansoor that he considers his behavior, “morally reprehensible”, though interestingly could not resist a flick of self-defence, pointing out that he had “violated no laws”.
But then Paula Broadwell is nothing if not convincing when it comes to outlining her own credentials and, given the glowing portrait of ‘strategic leadership’ she penned as David Petraeus’s biography, nothing if not flattering.
In one television interview she recalled approaching General David Petraeus and asking him to be a case-study for her dissertation. She wanted to show, “What Petraeus’s role was in forcing the military to adapt to win the wars we were in.”
And while Paula Broadwell stroked her subject’s ego with one hand she shored up her own credibility with the other; part Mata Hari, part blue-stocking.
Key to that credibility, as well as her doctorate dissertation turned book, were the two Master of Arts degrees she laid claim to on professional networking site, LinkedIn.
Paula Broadwell listed both from the University of Denver, one in international security and one in international negotiations.
In fact as the Boston Globe reveals the university registrar only lists her as having been awarded one degree in international security in 2006. It didn’t stop the University inviting Paula Broadwell back to address their alumni society in 2012.
But the recent revelations did see a wobble of sorts when, earlier this week, the angst-ridden administration removed the video of her speech which had been proudly posted on line. It has since been reinstated.
As far as a second Harvard professor is concerned Paula Broadwell was, “a lot of talk but not a lot of follow-through”. David Petraeus may beg to differ.
Certainly Paula Broadwell never tired of talking herself – or her subject – up. When it came to promoting her book, for Paula Broadwell, establishing her own academic, military and security credentials came second only to establishing whether General David Petraeus was, as Jon Steward put it, “awesome or incredibly awesome”.
Paula Broadwell dropped academic qualifications and security clearance the way a socialite might pepper her conversation with boasts of parties attended and “bffs” made. According to Paula Broadwell, being embedded in Afghanistan with David Petraeus was not the huge leap many imagined because, she explained: “We had previously met through academia.”
She herself was a graduate of West Point and a specialist in counter-terrorism with black ops experience, high security clearance, “and then some”.
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