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FBI Search Paula Broadwell's Home

The FBI began searching Paula Broadwell's home around 8:40 pm ET tonight, according to WCNC reporter Dianne Gallagher, who is updating on Twitter. The search is still going on. Gallaher says there are lots of media outside the home, and she'll have a live report at 11 (RT) on WCNC.

Broadwell and her husband were out of town on a romantic getaway to celebrate her 40th birthday when the scandal broke. Friday night, her husband emailed guests who were scheduled to attend a birthday party for her, telling them it was canceled. It sounds like they haven't been home since, although they checked out Friday. The Broadwells are now at an undisclosed location. [More...]

Here's a timeline of Broadwell's relationship with Gen. avid Petraeus.

And now the FBI agent who started the investigation, who was a friend of Jill Kelley's, may be under investigation. He was taken off the case this summer because the FBI thought he was too emotionally involved. He then contacted Washington Congressman Republican David Reichert, The WSJ reports an anonymous official says the FBI agent sent shirtless photos of himself to Kelley before the Broadwell emails.

Update: Broadwell had a ghostwriter to help write the biography of Petraeus -- he is interviewed here, and says he had no idea they were having an affair.

Update: The New York Times reports the U.S. Attorneys' office in Tampa were informed about the initial e-mail investigation.

But law enforcement officials insisted on Monday that the case was handled “on the merits.” The cyber squad at the F.B.I.’s Tampa field office opened an investigation, after consulting with federal prosecutors, based on what appeared to be a legitimate complaint about e-mail harassment.

“There was a legitimate case to open on the facts, with the support of the prosecutors,” said the official who described the search at Ms. Broadwell’s home. He added, “They asked, does somebody know more about Petraeus than you’d expect?”

Update: AG Eric Holder knew:

As the criminal investigation continued into the emails to Kelley, FBI Director Robert Mueller and eventually Attorney General Eric Holder were notified that agents had uncovered what appeared to be an extramarital affair involving Petraeus, said one of the law enforcement officials.

Broadwell and Petraeus have each been questioned by FBI agents twice in recent weeks, with both acknowledging the affair in separate interviews. The FBI's most recent interviews with Broadwell and with Petraeus both occurred during the week of Oct. 29, days before the election, one of the law enforcement officials said. The FBI notified Obama's director of national intelligence, James Clapper, of the investigation on Tuesday Nov. 6, Election Day.

And Petraeus and Brodwell used the old draft email ruse -- same one that shoebomber Richard Reid used. It's described in the Government's sentencing memo.

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  • Display: Sort:
    CIA and now the FBI (none / 0) (#1)
    by kdm251 on Mon Nov 12, 2012 at 11:04:37 PM EST
    Are all looking like a bunch of morons.  No wonder nobody trusts the government

    a bunch of morons... (none / 0) (#2)
    by Dadler on Mon Nov 12, 2012 at 11:19:44 PM EST
    ...acting like morons over human desire and lust and ego and id and frailty, within the context of an institution that possesses all the psychological insight of a banana peel. it is absurdism of the most politically scientific order.  Poly psy.  Ahem.

    Parent
    Supposedly smart people being extremely stupid. (none / 0) (#3)
    by Angel on Tue Nov 13, 2012 at 06:59:55 AM EST
    What else is new?