FBI and Justice Department prosecutors have recommended felony charges be brought against David Petraeus, saying that he gave classified information to his former lover while he served as director of the CIA.
The Justice Department began its investigation after Petraeus began an affair with Paula Broadwell, an Army Reserve officer who was writing his biography. The investigation focused on whether he gave her access to his CIA email and classified information, according to the New York Times.
The investigation began with an FBI probe into suspicious emails sent to a friend of Petraeus and quickly became a national-security investigation into his relationship with Broadwell. The FBI traced the threatening emails to Broadwell, and a search of her home found classified documents on her computer. While some of the material was years old, it was still secret government information, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Petraeus, a four-star general who served as commander of American armed forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, said he never gave Broadwell classified information and told the Justice Department he was not interested in a plea arrangement that would avoid a trial.
Prosecutors overseeing the case have recommended charges be filed against Petraeus, although the final decision must be made by Attorney General Eric Holder.
[quote text_size=”small” author=”– Jason Chaffetz” author_title=”Representative and member of the House Judiciary Committee”]
We need clarity one direction or another — either charge and prosecute him or declare his innocence and let him get on with his life. What’s intolerable is to have an American hero in limbo for literally years.
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Holder and FBI Director James Comey have been frequently questioned during Capitol Hill appearances about the status of the investigation, with several members of Congress expressing concern and frustration over how long the investigation has taken, according to the Huffington Post.
Petraeus was viewed as a military visionary before his career was cut short by the scandal and he retired. He was at one time seen as a potential presidential candidate.
