Thread: Jill Kelley, social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base, is mystery woman Paula Broadwe

Petraeus-Broadwell Probe Spreads to Gen. Allen

Story at the link

Petraeus-Broadwell Probe Spreads to Gen. Allen | Military.com
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Guest Post: Miligate: Geishas, Courtesans And Groupies


Submitted by Tyler Durden on 11/14/2012 20:19 -0500

• Afghanistan
• Guest Post
• national security
• Nomination
• None

Submitted by Ben Tanosburn,

Congress, particularly that uppity Senate club of multi-millionaires, seems always ready to remind us – the hoi polloi citizenry – that it is much more than the legislative, law-making branch of government. At some historic point, or perhaps at a series of evolving points, this august body became self-appointed guardian of both America’s national security and American morals.

If only the nation’s Founding Fathers could see us now!

A Supreme Court totally gone wild, de facto legislating and imposing its will; a Congress, lair of lazy career politicians and self-serving scoundrels; and an Executive, wearing reversible togas colored blue and red, running the nation as an empire, and using the country’s military as police force for multi-national predatory capitalism… subsidized by taxpayers from America’s lower and middle classes. [Yes, the lower classes, contrary to how Romney and the Thug-elite view them, do pay taxes (indirectly) when their labor is not properly compensated.]

It is now beginning to look as if the nation’s economic problems, the “fiscal cliff” that Congress imposed earlier in the year in lieu of compromise –a powder keg set to explode by year’ end – might have to share in importance with an investigation of extracurricular behavior exhibited by top military brass. It could potentially become a new tantalizing distraction being brought to the American coliseum by an irresponsible Congress and an equally irresponsible corporate media.

Are we at the embryo stage of a major military scandal… a Miligate?

Many of us would interpret the word “miligate” as a misspelling of mitigate; that is, unless we capitalize the M and use it in the context of recent behavior exhibited by top military brass, flag officers commanding our empire’s legions: two field marshals of expeditionary campaigns… for now. Perhaps we should be asking the question, are some members of Congress in a salacious or sexually aroused mood to bring about Miligate?

The US military has almost a thousand flag officers (950 +/-), wearing from one to four stars, commanding the activities of a million and a half souls, nearly 80 percent 35 years of age or younger… at times referred to as warriors, other times as heroes. Of course, those terms are for home (US) consumption, while the epithets assigned to them in foreign lands tend to be at the opposite end of the flattery spectrum.

Now two elite 4-star officers, David Petraeus and John Allen are under the gun – Petraeus, the military genius [by Washington accounts] who took on directorship of the CIA a year ago – and from which he has recently resigned; and his replacement at the helm of the Afghanistan black hole, and recently nominated to assume command of NATO – nomination now on-hold, the marine “monk,” John Allen.

Petraeus and Allen are two Samson-characters who availed their modern day Delilah(s) with a razor-sharp lack of common sense. Gen. Allen, from all current accounts, is likely to withstand the tempest, only his judgment perhaps scathed, and a back down on his nomination to the NATO command. For Petraeus, it will be a horse of a different color, tarnishing past accomplishments and a sterling reputation.

Intellectual generals such as David Petraeus are hard to come by, but as successful as he was in Princeton defending his dissertation [The American Military and the Lessons of Vietnam: A Study of Military Influence and the Use of Force in the Post-Vietnam Era] his poor judgment will always precede and preamble any glory he might have otherwise earned. No, not his poor judgment in the affaire with Paula Broadwell, assuming that national security was never at risk, but his incredibly poor judgment in writing a recommendation – to a judge – for Natalie Khawam, Jill Kelley’s twin sister; someone he hardly knew on a child custody matter of which he knew little or nothing.

Paula Broadwell, Jill Kelley and Natalie Khawan are neither geishas, nor courtesans... perhaps more of a groupie-variety around the military, with aspirations and personal needs – you may include morals – that are none of our business; nor Congress’ business once the investigation confirms that national security was not at risk. Whatever the nature or level of investigation, such investigations, while in progress, should not be the public’s salacious concern fed by a self-serving media.

Let’s all be concerned with pressuring the politicians to defuse the “fiscal cliff,” and wait until appropriate investigations are concluded to determine whether there is a Miligate.

Guest Post: Miligate: Geishas, Courtesans And Groupies | ZeroHedge

Obama Administration Gave Petraeus's Wife a $187,605-Per-Year Job

By Penny Starr

November 14, 2012


Holly Petraeus, wife of former CIA Director David Petraeus. (AP)

(CNSNews.com) – The Obama administration named Holly Petraeus--wife of retired Gen. David Patraeus, who resigned last week as CIA director after revealing he had had an extramarital affair--to a $187,605-per-yer job in the newly formed Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).

The CFPB, created by the Dodd-Frank law, was placed by that law under the umbrella of the Federal Reserve. The funding of the CFBP, which comes from the Federal Reserve, is not subject to congressional oversight.

Mrs. Petraeus became a member of the CFPB Implementation Team on Jan. 12, 2011. She is now the assistant director for the Office of Servicemember Affairs. Her position pays an annual salary of $187,605, according to the communications office of the bureau.

The communications office also confirmed to CNSNews.com that Mrs. Petraeus’ post at the bureau did not require Senate confirmation.

On Jan. 6, 2011, Elizabeth Warren, then assistant to the president and special advisor to the secretary of the treasury for the CFPB (and now senator-elect from Massachusetts), posted a blog about Mrs. Petraeus’ new job on the White House website.


President Barack Obama and Gen. David Petraeus. (AP)

“In her role at the new agency, Holly will continue her work to strengthen consumer financial protection for service members,” Warren wrote. “The Office of Servicemember Affairs will work in partnership with the Department of Defense to help ensure that: military families receive the financial education they need to make the best financial decisions for them; complaints and questions from military families are monitored and responded to; and federal and state agencies coordinate their activities to improve consumer protection measures for military families.”

On Nov. 3, 2011, Mrs. Petraeus testified before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. In her introductory remarks she detailed her qualifications for addressing financial issues faced be member of the military.

“In my role as a military family member, I have seen the problems that can arise for our service members who may experience ‘too much month and not enough money,’” Mrs. Petraeus said in her prepared testimony. “I have also seen first-hand the devastating impact financial scams and predatory lending can have on service members and their families. Unfortunately there are still too many young troops learning about wise spending through hard experience and years of paying off expensive debt.”
Mrs. Petraeus served from 2004 to 2010 as director of the Better Business Bureau’s Military Line, a program to provide consumer education and advocacy for service members.

“While with the BBB, I made on-site visits to military units all over the country: learning about the consumer issues that impacted them, giving presentations on consumer scams, and working to establish local BBB-military relationships,” Mrs. Petraeus said. “I guided development of six teen and adult financial workshops taught to more than 20,000 individuals in military communities around the United States.”
Mr. Patraeus has not spoken publically since her husband resigned as CIA director, while admitting he had committed adultery.

Obama Administration Gave Petraeus's Wife a $187,605-Per-Year Job | CNS News

Socialite Jill Kelley Loses VIP Privileges at Military Base

By LUIS MARTINEZ | ABC News – 18 hrs ago

• 
  Enlarge PhotoABC News - Socialite Jill Kelley Loses VIP Privileges at Military Base (ABC News)

Jill Kelley, the Tampa socialite at the center of the Petraeus scandal, has lost the privilege of visiting MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa without an escort. The base is home to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM), and Kelley, who enjoyed rubbing shoulders with top military brass, had been granted unescorted access to the base under a program initiated by the Air Force unit that runs operations at the base.

A Defense official confirms to ABC News that Kelley participated in a base program known as the "Friends of MacDill" where she was granted a card that allowed the bearer to clear security when entering the base.

A person must be nominated to enter the program, and must pass a background check by the wing's security office. The official did not know who nominated Kelley for the program.

The Defense official said Kelley's privileges under the program have been taken away "as she is involved in an ongoing investigation."

Kelley, her husband and her twin sister, Natalie Khawam, hosted parties and became friendly with top military officials in Tampa, including both Gen. Petraeus and Gen. John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
After Kelley reported that she had received harassing emails from an unknown source, FBI investigators determined that the emails had come from Paula Broadwell, co-author of the Petraeus biography "All In." They also found evidence that Broadwell and Petraeus were having an affair. Petraeus resigned as head of the CIA last Friday.

ABC News has learned that Gen. Allen also received an anonymous e-mail traced to Paula Broadwell, claiming Jill Kelley was a seductress. Investigators determined that Kelley also exchanged a large volume of emails with Gen. Allen. Gen. Allen has denied having an affair with Kelley, and Kelley's family has also denied an improper relationship.

Friends of MacDill

A Tampa Bay Times report from January 2011 explained that base commanders saw the Friends of MacDill program as a way to break down barriers between the base and Tampa's civilian population.

The program envisioned inviting as many as 200 civilians to participate in the program so they could have unescorted daytime access to the base. They in turn could bring in as many as five guests.

Initial reports of Kelley's relationship to CENTCOM mentioned she was an "ambassador," which led to incorrect reports that she may have had a role with the State Department. The State Department has stressed that it has no relationship with Kelley. Additional reporting determined that she had been provided by CENTCOM with the title of "honorary ambassador."

The Defense official said the title was actually nothing more than "a certificate provided by CENTCOM's Coalition Coordination Center (CCC)." He explained that Kelley was one of six Tampa area citizens to receive such recognition." A U.S. official previously told ABC News that Kelley would sometimes omit "honorary" and tell people she was an "ambassador."

The Coalition Coordination Center consists of military representatives from countries working in the coalition with the United States in the War on Terrorism. It was they who recommended that Kelley receive the certificate.

The Defense official added that as part of her duties, Kelley "has acted as an interlocutor to reach out to other community leaders in the area, and facilitated visits and unclassified briefings for them."

As for Kelley's role in hosting events on behalf of the military community in Tampa, the official said no CENTCOM funds were used to pay for the events she hosted.
The official also said that none of the events were hosted at MacDill or CENTCOM headquarters.

Kelley's hosting of events to honor the military continued up until the very moment her name became public. News of her role in the Petraeus scandal broke as she was hosting an afternoon event at her house that included Vice Admiral Robert Harward, CENTCOM's Deputy Commander, as a guest.

Socialite Jill Kelley Loses VIP Privileges at Military Base - Yahoo! News

Panetta orders Pentagon investigation of legal, ethical issues among military leaders

Petraeus mistress had substantial classified data on computer: sources

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON | Wed Nov 14, 2012 8:53pm EST

(Reuters) - A computer used by Paula Broadwell, the woman whose affair with CIA Director David Petraeus led to his resignation, contained substantial classified information that should have been stored under more secure conditions, law enforcement and national security officials said on Wednesday.

The contents and amount of the classified material - and questions about how Broadwell got it - are significant enough to warrant a continuing investigation, the officials said. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to comment publicly.

The details about material held by Broadwell, a reserve officer in military intelligence, emerged Wednesday as the Pentagon suspended her security clearance. There are growing concerns among military and law enforcement officials about the potential fallout from the affair between Petraeus and Broadwell, who co-authored a biography of the retired general.

Late Wednesday, the House intelligence committee announced that Petraeus would testify on Friday behind closed doors about the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Leaders of the House and Senate intelligence committees were briefed Wednesday on the Petraeus matter by leaders of the FBI and CIA.

During a news conference at the White House on Wednesday, President Barack Obama said there was no indication so far that any classified information had been disclosed as a result of the affair.

Obama also said that for now, he would refrain from judging whether he should have been told earlier than last Wednesday about the probe involving his CIA chief, who resigned on Friday before the affair became public.

"I am withholding judgment with respect to how the entire process surrounding General Petraeus came up. We don't have all the information yet," Obama told a White House news conference.

The president noted that had he known earlier, he might have been open to accusations of interference in a politically sensitive law enforcement matter.

Broadwell's security clearances gave her access to certain classified material, several officials said. Government rules require such material to be stored in secure locations or computers.

Two officials familiar with the case said investigators are asking whether Broadwell followed government rules for handling classified information.

FBI investigators searched Broadwell's residence in Charlotte, North Carolina, late Monday, an action that officials said occurred with Broadwell's consent.

Attempts to reach Broadwell, who has remained mainly out of the public eye, have been unsuccessful. She was seen late Tuesday at her brother's home in Washington, D.C.

During the FBI investigation that led to the discovery of the affair between Petraeus and Broadwell, both individuals denied that Petraeus had supplied her with any classified information and the FBI accepted those explanations, law enforcement sources have said.

CRIMINAL CHARGES UNLIKELY

Law enforcement officials also have said that they believe the continuing FBI probe into the matter is likely to end without criminal charges. If Broadwell is found to have mishandled classified information, she could face action under administrative security regulations.

Still, the latest developments could quash hopes among some at the Justice Department and in Congress for a quick end to a scandal that this week also ensnared the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, Marine General John Allen.

In a statement late Wednesday issued by the Marine Corps' chief defense counsel, Allen pledged to resolve the questions surrounding his email communications with Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, who is also at the center of the Petraeus case.

The retired four-star Army general has made no public statement since he announced his resignation as CIA chief on Friday.

Petraeus has agreed, however, to testify before Congress about the attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya, that killed four Americans, amid questions over the CIA's actions before, during and after the assault on September 11, 2012.

C.A. "Dutch" Ruppersberger, ranking Democratic member of the House intelligence committee, said Congress still wanted to hear from Petraeus on the Benghazi attack.

"When a situation like this occurs with General Petraeus, we have to make sure that the CIA is moving forward on their mission and that in no way will this affect their ability to do their work," Ruppersberger said.

There is no protocol in federal law that would have required senior officials - like FBI Director Robert Mueller or Attorney General Eric Holder - to inform the president about the Petraeus investigation sooner, a former Justice Department official said.

The most recent written guidance was issued in 2007 by Michael Mukasey, then the attorney general. The Justice Department should advise the White House about a criminal matter "only where it is important for the performance of the president's duties and where appropriate from a law enforcement perspective," the memo reads. It leaves interpretation of those terms to the attorney general and the deputy attorney general.

"It's the quintessential judgment call for an attorney general to decide whether to share this information and when to share it with the White House," the former official said. "But this was Attorney General Holder's call to make."

FBI AGENT EMERGES

This week, U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta asked the Pentagon's inspector general to examine potentially inappropriate communications between Allen and Kelley, and recommended that Obama halt Allen's nomination to command US and NATO forces in Europe, which he did.

Defense officials have said Allen did not have a romantic relationship with Kelley, a 37-year-old wife and mother who is described as a prominent presence in military circles in Tampa.

She may have been seen as a rival by Broadwell, who sent Kelley a series of anonymous, harassing e-mails that touched off an investigation that uncovered evidence of an affair between Petraeus and Broadwell, according to a law enforcement source.

Kelley sought help from an FBI agent she knew in Tampa, identified by the New York Times late Wednesday as Frederick Humphries.

He set in motion the investigation that eventually led agents to uncover the Petraeus-Broadwell affair, as well as extensive email communications between Kelley and General Allen, a former deputy to Petraeus at U.S. Central Command, which is based at MacDill and oversees the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Allen and Kelley communicated often enough over the past two years to produce between 20,000 and 30,000 pages of email and other messages, which were turned over to Defense Department investigators on Sunday.

"To the extent there are questions about certain communications by General Allen, he shares in the desire to resolve those questions as completely and quickly as possible," the Marines' chief defense counsel, Colonel John G. Baker, said in a statement.

Allen remains in his post as commander in Afghanistan.

A senior defense official told Reuters the messages with Kelley were seen as inappropriate because they were "flirtatious" in nature, not because they dealt with sensitive information.

But another U.S. official said the Pentagon only decided to refer the matter for investigation after an initial look found the communications to be of "a sufficient character" to warrant further review.

(Additional reporting by Phil Stewart in Australia, Patrick Rucker, David Alexander, Rick Rothacker, David Ingram, Tabassum Zakaria, Susan Cornwell, Matt Spetalnick, Margaret Chadbourn and Dan Burns. Writing by Warren Strobel. Editing by David Lindsey, Dan Burns and Cynthia Osterman)



Petraeus mistress had substantial classified data on computer: sources | Reuters

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