Mystery Third Woman Led FBI to Petraeus Affair

FBI 'stumbled' onto scandal after another woman was harassed

The FBI "stumbled on" General Petraeus's affair with biographer Paula Broadwell after a third woman complained that Broadwell was harassing her, according to the New York Times.

The unidentified woman reported Broadwell to the FBI after she was "frightened" by emails from Broadwell, who allegedly harassed the woman because she believed she threatened her affair with Petraeus.

Once the FBI started investigating, they discovered the affair, along with the fact that Broadwell had been accessing the CIA chief's Gmail account.

Some insiders have expressed surprise that Petraeus resigned over the affair, since he has the political capital and clout to weather a scandal. But it's possible that he resigned because Broadwell is a writer, and therefore a potential source of leaks - a sensitive subject for the Obama administration after controversy over leaks earlier this year. Others note that an affair like this could have subjected Petraeus, until yesterday the CIA director, to blackmail.

Via Politico and the New York Times.

Do you think Petraeus was right to resign over this affair?

[Dan_Tien]

Yes. I think he needs to spend time deciding how to sort out his personal life. Either reconciliation or divorce will require his attention. The Director of the CIA needs to be focused.

[martydotcom]

How arrogant can you be, Director of the CIA thinking no one was watching him. Duhhhh?

[stepped_in_it]

Bahaha....and to think we thought he was wise enough to run the CIA. Who's the bigger fool, the one's who hired him or him himself (is that proper English?) LOL

[Sonny]

Geez, did this guy get caught with his hands (both hands) in the "cookie jar" or what?!?---Yeah, he should probably take some time out and try to sort through all of this with his family, etc....

[Souljah]

the problem with being a high ranking official in a powerful position, Women seem to throw themselves at your feet.. its tough to resist a nice juicy steak when you've been on a lean diet for so long..but knowing how to resist those temptations makes the difference between a Real Leader or an Average human being..

[MRMacrum]

Yes. I think he did the right thing. He was in charge of the CIA and had any of his underlings been caught, they would have been fired.

[mimi57]

Yes

[stepped_in_it]

Just YES Mimi? You ok......lol? And i agree.....YES!

[mimi57]

@stepped_in_it Oh, I've been better..(: That's funny, are you saying I usually have a lot more to say? I thought
I'd give everyone a break. lol Besides I had the utmost respect for Gen. Petraeus, just goes to show that NO
ONE is above reproach...still sad.

[dances-weebles]

why?

[mimi57]

@dances-weebles Why what?...

[dances-weebles]

@mimi57 you said yes, and i asked you why?

[FollowTheMoney]

At least he was man enough to take responsibility for his actions. Unlike others like Clinton etc etc...

[mimi57]

...and the plot thickens...

[dances-weebles]

this is incredibly stupid... one woman is jealous of another and creates a stink because the general doesn't like her best? it's nobody's business if the general has sex, or with whom. it's a total non-issue.

[fact-check]

When a government official employed with control of an agency KILLING others in the name of legality, chooses to violate his oath of fidelity... it is a VERY BIG issue.

[dances-weebles]

@fact-check who a man has sex with has nothing to do with his job... it's only sex.

[fact-check]

@dances-weebles: When a man violates the statutory law of adultery in his home state of Virginia, and indicates through such behavior a tendency to be unreliable in regards to an oath of fealty... they are no longer an Oath Keeper, and must be removed from any position of public trust. This is NOT about sex... "it's only" about breaking the law, and dishonoring your wife by violation of a prior legally binding oath.

[dances-weebles]

@fact-check the point is, however, that it has absolutely nothing to do with his job. you are only expressing your opinion on the matter.

again, a man never has sworn an oath of 'fealty' to a woman... only the woman does. read the pentateuch.

[fact-check]

@dances-weebles: State of Virginia: Adultery is defined as male/female sexual intercourse committed when at least one of the parties is married to someone else. Only a married party can commit adultery. Pursuant to 18.2-365, adultery is a class 4 misdemeanor, with a maximum penalty of a $250 fine. It has a statute of limitations of one year.

This clearly estabished that General Petraeus, by his own admission is a criminal in his home state of Virginia. Any citizen whom would consider an admitted criminal as an appropriate head of the CIA, especially when that person has already betrayed their fidelity under law once before, has no real grasp of the importance of character.

Furthermore, An oath of fealty(faithfulness) is clearly implied within the context of marriage licenses issued within the State of Virginia, regardless of the actual text involved in the official marriage vows themselves.

In the future, I suggest that you take the time to look up the definitions of the terms used, and the laws in question, before displaying an absolute ignorance of the topic being discussed.

[dances-weebles]

again? why is the general's sex life 'news'? i mean, why should it even raise an eyebrow?

[mimi57]

Because, he is held to a higher standard as he is a General, also, it is a security risk to the country.

[dances-weebles]

@mimi57 um... why is a general held to any higher standard in his personal sex life than you or i am?

how can getting laid be a security risk. that's one of the silliest things that you've ever said. do you really believe that in a moment of heated passion he's going to shout out something like 'gee, i've got to get some sleep because tomorrow we're invading russia and i've got to look my best? give me a break.

[mimi57]

@dances-weebles Oh Weeble, Do I have to explain EVERYTHING to you?! Your drinking on the beach aren't you?!...

[dances-weebles]

@mimi57 in this case you do... why do you think that there's a problem with the general's sex life? it doesn't make sense.

[kathyparsell]

Letting the person you are having an affair with have access to your e-mail is stupid. If you are the head of the CIA it becomes at least criminally Stupid!

[GetAwake]

Nope. He's not an elected official, and it's pretty unheard of. Hoover did MUCH worse as head of the Bureau. The General should have to answer only to his wife and family. In fact, who here wouldn't hit that? I know I would. Can't blame him at all. If she were a man, many of you would tell us that we need to stay out of his personal life, so that must apply here, as well. I said the same thing about Clinton, and he WAS an elected official. If these guys are doing their jobs and are fishing through the cookie-jar on their own time, more power to them. That means if he's in his office and wants to forego his lunch to bang her under the desk, go for it.

What they'd like us to ignore is that the General was supposed to be testifying about Benghazi shortly...and now they're saying that he won't have to. THAT'S some BS. THAT'S something that we shouldn't stand for. THAT'S a disgrace. Some of you need to get your priorities straight...and some of you just need to find other ways to advance your agenda.

[fact-check]

Actually, that's not true under adultery statutes in the State of Virginia. It DOES matter, both legally and morally. Lying regarding any oath to fidelity is a "no-no" for a CIA chief.

[GetAwake]

@fact-check When did he lie about it? There was no "I DID NOT have sexual-relations with this woman"-speech. He came clean right away. Are you referring to the actual marriage-vows themselves? If so, good: That's something that the government shouldn't have any involvement in to begin with.

[fact-check]

@GetAwake: Adultery statutes do not provide a remedy that permits the offending party to admit guilt and then secure judicial clemency. Furthermore, your obviously uninformed "opinion" on the laws of the State of Virginia is COMPLETELY irrelevant.

[GetAwake]

@fact-check Take note that I said "that's something that the government SHOULD NOT be involved in". I just don't believe that the laws of your god, or anybody else's fairy-tales for that matter, should have anything to do with the last word when it comes to our laws. Be sure and tell him I said "Hello" the next time you are talking to a wall.

[fact-check]

@GetAwake: You obviously have a comprehension disability. The point raised is in regards to Petraeus' admitted violation of a SECULAR statutory law in the State of Virginia. It has nothing to do with "God," and everything to do with his failure to honor an oath of fealty he made to his wife.

[Lpguy]

I dont care either way

[LetsAllBeHappy]

yes-the woman he was having an affair with had access to his gmail account-and the leaks could have came from her-what if she was a spy-I would expect better from a person running the CIA-the affair-it is his business-the fact the woman had access to his gmail account, threatened another woman who could expose the affair-and may be responsible for leaks-that is America's business.

[wild_turkey6]

I think Petraeus is an honorable man that made a mistake. Regardless of his personal affairs, we shouldn't forget what good this man accomplished. He literally wrote the book on counterinsurgency and helped stabilize Iraq, and his doctrine is making headway in Afghanistan.
Should he have resigned, I don't know. It is between him and his family.

[Kajai]

Totally agree. Its not likely that the director of the CIA used gmail for sensitive info anyway. Im sure he has a secure way to send emails.

[fact-check]

Yeah... those Sunni tribesman that he bribed and the thousands of U.S. soldiers and Marines that died in the mission aren't as important as a philandering liar, are they?

[REJacobs]

Yes he was right it was the only right thing to do what a wait off the shoulders

[methinks]

It's interesting how this new "distraction" with his resignation has come forward days before the hearing on the Libya disaster.

[fact-check]

It is never a good idea to allow military personnel to manage the covert intelligence apparatus of a superpower.

[Zoe2012]

There are plenty of people in the Obama regimen that should resign but they don't. Why him?

I like this one:

On June 15, 2010, Petraeus momentarily fainted while being questioned by the Senate Armed Services Committee. He quickly recovered and was able to walk and exit the room without assistance.[175] He attributed the episode to possible dehydration.

What kind of guy faints?

[Rkroeber]

Yes, he violated the The Uniform Code of Military Justice, the military criminal code, which bars married service members from having extramarital sex. In fact, he could be prosecuted for adultery bringing "discredit upon the armed forces." Regardless of my personal opinion on the issue, he violated the military's own code.