Both women in Petraeus scandal lose security clearance
A complaint by a friend of the Petraeus family, Jill Kelley, that she was receiving harassing emails would eventually lead FBI investigators to correspondence between David Petraeus and his biographer, Paula Broadwell, that revealed they had had an affair. This picture shows them together in July 2011.
Both of the women involved in the sex scandal that brought down the now-former CIA Director David Petraeus have lost their security clearance to military facilities, reports CBS News.
Paula Broadwell did, in fact, have a high government security clearance issued through the Army and there are questions about how much access she had to classified information, reports AP.
ABC News reports that a federal probe alleged that Broadwell, an Army reservist and former Army intelligence officer, was storing classified military material at her home.
"Appropriate actions with regard to this officer's clearance and access have been taken," Army spokesman George Wright told ABC.
It is unclear whether Broadwell will be charged with a crime but ABC reports that prosecutors are considering some type of charges.
Broadwell became part of a national scandal after it emerged that she and Petraeus were involved in an extramarital affair.
Gen. Petraeus resigned from the CIA on Friday. The affair emerged after Broadwell sent anonymous threatening emails to Petraeus family friend Jill Kelley, whom Broadwell allegedly perceived as a romantic rival.
During the investigation, it emerged that Kelley was also exchanging thousands of "inappropriate" emails with the top US commander in Afghanistan, Gen. John Allen.
Kelley's pass to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla was also suspended indefinitely. Kelley will still be able to access the base but will have to sign in as a visitor like everyone else, reports CBS.
Lt. Col. Steven Warren told The Associated Press the decision was made in the last couple of days and was in the best interest interest of the Air Force base community.
Kelley identifies herself as an informal liaison for the military community and also has been given the title of 'honorary ambassador'. One US official told ABC News that Kelley usually drops "honorary" from her title and tells people she is an ambassador.
In a 911 call she placed to report a swarm of media attention outside her Tampa home, Kelley tried to use her credentials to get diplomatic protection.
"You know, I don't know if by any chance, because I'm an honorary consul general, so I have inviolability, so they should not be able to cross my property," she told the 911 dispatcher Monday in a transcript posted by CBS. "I don't know if you want to get diplomatic protection involved as well."