CIA DIRECTER - DAVID PETRAEUS AFFAIR WITH PAULA BROADWELL

CIA DIRECTOR DAVID PETRAEUS RESIGNS AFTER EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR WITH HIS BIOGRAPHER, PAULA BROADWELL

By Synthia Esther

November 10, 2012

On Friday, November 9, 2012, CIA Director David Petraeus  resigned after admitting to an extramarital affair with his biographer,  Paula Boardwell. Broadwell co-wrote Petraeus' biography, “All In.” The  affair was revealed over the course of an FBI investigation, according  to Fox News. Patraeus met with President Obama on Thursday, before  submitting his letter of resignation, which the president accepted.

In a message to staff, Petraeus said he asked “to be allowed”  to step down. Patraeus stated, “After being married for over 37 years, I  showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.  Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an  organization such as ours.” Patraeus' wife, Holly, also works in the  Obama administration, for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

President Obama in a written statement said Petraeus provided  an “extraordinary service to the Untied States for decades. ...By any  measure, he was one of the outstanding General officers of his  generation, helping our military adapt to new challenges, and leading  our men and women in uniform through a remarkable period of service in  Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped our nation put those wars on a  path to a responsible end.”  Michael Morell, the agency's deputy  director is to serve as acting director.

The move came amid the unfolding controversy surrounding the  attack on the U.S. Consulate in Libya. Scrutiny had fallen on a range of  agencies including the CIA. An FBI investigation began when an  individual reported suspicious and strange emails allegedly from  Broadwell. The FBI determined that Broadwell allegedly emailed a number  of government employees, and it tried to determine if any of its  employees were being stalked. The affair was discovered as a result,  with Petraeus being one of these employees. The FBI determined no  criminal acts had been committed.