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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHmm. Getting interesting. Eric Cantor's office involved in the Petreaus affair issue.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/11/us/fbi-said-to-have-stumbled-into-news-of-david-petraeus-affair.html?hp&_r=0..............
Two weeks ago after the F.B.I. investigation began a top aide to Representative Eric Cantor of Virginia, the House majority leader, informed the F.B.I. that a credible-sounding informant had accused the C.I.A. director of having an affair and putting sensitive information at risk, according to a Cantor aide who did not want to be identified.
Mr. Cantor talked to the person after being told by Representative Dave Reichert, Republican of Washington, that a whistle-blower wanted to talk to someone in Congressional leadership about a national security concern. On Oct. 31, his chief of staff, Steve Sombres, called the F.B.I. to tell them about the call.
They took the information, the aide said, and gave the standard answer: they were not able to confirm or deny any investigation, but said that all necessary steps were being taken to make sure no confidential information was at risk.
White House officials said they were informed on Wednesday night that Mr. Petraeus was considering resigning because of an extramarital affair. On Thursday morning, just before a staff meeting at the White House, Mr. Obama was told.
That afternoon, Mr. Petraeus went to see him and informed him that he strongly believed he had to resign. Mr. Obama did not accept his resignation right away, but on Friday, he called Mr. Petraeus and accepted it.
Berlum
(7,044 posts)Republican Fink values - pthooey.
FSogol
(45,493 posts)Don't forget that family values part.
jenw2
(374 posts)Most of us don't speak that half-nonsense political-speak.
DURHAM D
(32,610 posts)was told at 5:00 pm on Tuesday. In an earlier article I read that President Obama was told (by Clapper) about the matter for the first time at 7:00 pm on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, it looks like the Republican head of the House Intelligence Committee (Cong. Rogers) was told before the WH.
I have never trusted Petraeus and I think Clapper is a snake. Who do they work for? I thought they were in the Executive Branch, not the Legislative Branch.
WCGreen
(45,558 posts)Cantor would have run to he media the first whiff a scandal.
I kid, I kid...
Tutonic
(2,522 posts)that are part of this sordid affair. Cra-caa-craaa is likely to get charged for sharing confidential information with members of the media. Petraeus makes is sound as if he was having a brief (momentary lapse of judgment--sigh) affair with one woman--when in fact he was a serial player--strnging along multiple groupie like women and using a personal account communicate--thus opening himself and others to the possibility of blackmail. One of the women likely went to Cantor's office to rat out Patraeus after discovering that he was playing her. HIs wife needs to dump him--man is lying.
postulater
(5,075 posts)riverwalker
(8,694 posts)Rep. Dave Reichert? Why would a whistle blower go to him? Just bizarre. Trying to put the pieces together an just gets weirder.
Caroline-Vivienne
(117 posts)The first being the terrified woman who was getting anonymous death threats from Broadwell thru Petraeus's private email. So she went to the FBI asking for help because she thought her safety was at risk. And it was mentioned that these two women knew each other and were rivals for Petraeus' affection.
Now we have this second story...which takes place after the original FBI investigation began (about 2 weeks ago). An 'informant' goes to Cantor's aide (a top Repub) and blabs about the affair. And since an affair is really no big deal, she mentions key code words like 'sensitive information at risk'. Possibly the same woman who went to the FBI? Getting even by ruining both of them?
SamHarris2012
(42 posts)if she was sending death threats using Petraeus's email then the email said this.
From: Director of the Central Intelligence Agency
To: terrified woman
Subject: I going to kill you
Caroline-Vivienne
(117 posts)Not the fancy one with the seal and the eagles and stuff!
SamHarris2012
(42 posts)this whistle-blower stuff is a mother.
I don't know about it anymore. Sounds like snitching in this case. If true of course.
DonViejo
(60,536 posts)this article in particular:
How Was Petraeus Affair Uncovered and Did he Really Have To Resign?
http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_slatest/2012/11/10/david_petraeus_affair_fbi_investigation_uncovered_affair_with_paula_broadwell.html
Politico, however, hears that is likely an exaggeration and that concern over access to Petraeus e-mail was not what initiated the investigation. McClatchy hears similar information, noting that sources say the FBI did not investigate the author for attempting to compromise Petraeus computer. According to this version it seems that, as Reuters hears, investigators stumbled across evidence of the affair while investigating news leaks. Although it's unclear exactly why the FBI was monitoring Petraeus e-mail, a source tells the Washington Post, the FBI found e-mails describing the affair.
Did Petraeus have to resign? In Foreign Policy, Thomas Ricks, who has described Petraeus as the best post-Sept. 11 commander in the U.S. military, hears that President Obama tried to talk him out of resigning. And Ricks describes Petraeus decision as the result of overabundance of honor: Petraeus took the samurai route and insisted that he had done a dishonorable thing and now had to try to balance it by doing the honorable thing and stepping down as CIA director.
Interesting article but, three comments caught my attention.
Alternate scenario: CIA (Petraeus) and State (Hillary)) have been at odds since the Bhengazi Debacle in which the CIA handed State a bogus fact set .... about a YouTube video triggering the Bhengazi attack...... which State in turn parroted to the public.
This disinformation quickly unravelled and made the Obama administration look silly ...on the eve of a historic presidential election. If this is true, it would comprise a political ambush and would amount to borderline treason....plenty of real world reason to construct a cover story about sex and to quietly hustle the general off the world stage.
We know as a matter of recent historical fact that President Obama has fired serving generals before....for substantive insubordination. Perhaps the president has quietly defeated a counter-offensive.
2 Hours Ago from slate.com · Reply
Fortitudine
Except that he's not off the stage. Congress can subpoena him anytime they like.
2 Hours Ago from slate.com · Reply
Farhock
True. I'm thinking that everyone wants to let this go, for the good of the country. And maybe to preserve our relationship with Israel.
Bibi was in on this, somehow, starting with events in Bhengazi.
2 Hours Ago from slate.com · Reply