Reuters has a rundown of the timeline for the Petraeus investigation:
2011-2012: Broadwell and Petraeus extramarital affair started after he left military service and ended about four months ago.
Sometime within the past four or five months – one official said “early summer” – a woman complained to the FBI about harassing emails that were later determined to have been written by Broadwell. In the course of investigating that complaint, the FBI discovered an affair between Broadwell and Petraeus.
Week of October 21: Federal investigators interview Broadwell.
Week of October 28: Federal investigators interview Petraeus. Prosecutors conclude afterward they likely will not bring criminal charges.
Tuesday, November 6, Election Day, at about 5 p.m.: the FBI notifies Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, who oversees the CIA and other intelligence agencies, about Petraeus. Clapper speaks to Petraeus that evening and again Wednesday and advises him to step down.
Wednesday, November 7: Clapper informs White House National Security Council official that Petraeus may resign and President Barack Obama should be informed. The president is told about it later that day.
Thursday, November 8: At 11 a.m. a Petraeus meeting with foreign dignitaries scheduled for 2:30 p.m. is canceled and his visitors are informed he has to go to the White House to meet with Obama. Petraeus meets with Obama at the White House and offers his resignation, explaining the circumstances behind it. Obama did not immediately accept the resignation.
Friday, November 9 – Obama calls Petraeus and accepts his resignation.
There have been some questions raised about the timing of Petraeus’s resignation, but this timeline seems reasonable. The FBI and Attorney General Eric Holder knew about the affair as early as late summer, according to the Wall Street Journal, but there’s no indication they believed there was a security breach at that point. They may not have informed other intelligence officials or the president about it over the summer because they thought they had discovered an affair, and nothing more.
There is also no evidence Petraeus was pushed out because of his role in the Benghazi response. The fact that he resigned right after the election and right before another closed-door Benghazi hearing is interesting, to say the least, but it could be just that — a coincidence. There is no need for conspiracy theories in this case.
That still doesn’t mean journalists shouldn’t question the administration’s account, particularly why Congress and the director of national intelligence weren’t informed of the investigation by the FBI when classified information was discovered on Paula Broadwell’s computer. There are also questions about the FBI whistle-blower who tipped off House Majority Leader Eric Cantor in October — what was this person’s motivation, and what was he concerned about? But from what we know so far, it doesn’t sound like there is anything sinister going on here.
nColor me cynical, I think this information being release is highly suspect. Also, the fact that one of our un-manned drones was shot on November 1 as wasn't released until after the election. n
I think the steamiest emails between Petraeus and Broadwell should be released, and people allowed to make up their own minds. n nIn fact, just the ones from Broadwell to Petraeus will be fine, in fact preferable. n n n nIf the emails are sufficiently erotic, Petraeus should get his job back.
This comment is pretty funny. Thanks for the smile.
You're quite welcome, thanks. n nI aim to please, as does Petraeus.
Broadwell has two small boys. They don't need something like that. n nForget the adults, in these childish situations, it is always the children that I am worried about. n
Of course you are correct. It was a joke, for adult eyes only. n nThe seriousness of this issue is unrelentingly heavy. I needed a break.
So they just coincidentally went in to interview Petraeus after he started leaking contra the Obama administration re Benghazi?____You're looking at the timing of the final leak to the press and the firing — right after the election. I'm looking at the timing of sitting on an investigation for months and then popping up when Obama is having trouble with Petraeus.____And if there was no evidence of a security violation in the emails, why did they have to interview anyone? Why not shelve it?
"The FBI and Attorney General Eric Holder knew about the affair as early as late summer, according to the Wall Street Journal, but there’s no indication they believed there was a security breach at that point. They may not have informed other intelligence officials or the president about it over the summer because they thought they had discovered an affair, and nothing more." n nAnd I got a bridge to sell you. nThe idea that Holder didn't tell Obama about the CIA's director's affair back when he first leaned of it through the FBI is, no other word for it, ridiculous.
Eric Holder almost certainly informed Obama immediately. They apparently later blackmailed the general into lying for them.
I am inclined to agree. n nI still can't get over the idea of her traipsing through CIA headquarters without anyone saying anything about it…
I know it is more than one word but would you allow "insults your intelligence"?
We should definitely entertain a conspiracy theory. It appears very likely the White House pressured David Petraeus to lie about the importance of the video. Why else would he deliberately mislead Congress and the American people? The truth may have destroyed Obama's reelection chances.
Just as a "mole" lies in place until useful, a "compromised" person sits in his position at the sufferance and convenience of others who know his secret. Petraeus fell in line with the administration meme re the videotape and flashmob when, theoretically, his chit may either have been cashed in or he, proactively, sought to court favor with those holding it. That is as plausible an explanation for his falling in with the administration fabrication as any that has yet surfaced…and his "falling in line" is beyond dispute. Curiously, this line of thought might well vindicate UN Ambassador Susan Rice who, otherwise, is the fall guy for the administration duplicity.
I look at this a different way — the captain is responsible for his ship. Obama is responsible for his directors, and imagine if something like this happened in the Bush administration… n nThere was a time in this country when character counted for something and if you wanted to be in a responsible position such as D/CIA, you had to act in a respectable manner. It appears that both his staff in Afganistan and at the CIA had concerns about Broadwell and how exactly do we know that she is not, well, some sort of spy for any number of entities who would love to have our secrets. Sleeping with the D/CIA is a good way to pick up a lot of valuable information, information one might not even realize is valuable such as what time the trash is picked up, etc. n nWhat would have happened if George W Bush's CIA director was in an identical situation????
Character went out the window in 1992 with the election of Bill Clinton. It means nothing now for this kind of behavior to happen even in the oval office, our office, our building.
No, it went out the window a few years later with the national discussion of a semen-stained dress and cigars used as sex objects. There was a time in this country when a man would have resigned rather than have gone through all of that…. n nLBJ, JFK, umm, ummm, ummm — it wasn't that Clinton was worse as much as he was public about it….
Alana – sorry, but you are young and naive. Also, I believe that your generation is sorely lacking in common sense and street smarts, I hope that you read the comments to your articles.
Goodman: "But from what we know so far, it doesn’t sound like there is anything sinister going on here." n—————— nSure…it doesn't "sound" like anything sinister because you have a tin ear. And, at this point in 1972, you would be reporting that Watergate was a third rate botched burglary.
The FBI knows Petreus is compromised no later than Oct 21 but nobody is officially told anything until… Election Day? And that the attack in Bengazi was on the anniversary of Sept 11 was also a coincidence? "No Need for Conspiracy Theories in Petraeus Timeline…it could be just that — a coincidence." And the moon could have a core of green cheese, but it's not a hypothesis that should be taken seriously. Alana Goodman's judgement is piss-poor, as usual.