The FBI investigation that would eventually lead to the resignation of David Petraeus as CIA director was requested by a military social liaison from Tampa, Fla., the Associated Press reported.
Jill Kelley, 37, started receiving threatening emails from an unknown person and, concerned about the content, asked the FBI to look into the matter, the AP reported. The investigation led to Paula Broadwell, an Army Reserve officer who co-authored a biography of Petraeus. Emails discovered in her account lead the FBI to discover her romantic relationship with the retired general.
Kelley and her family were longtime friends with the Petraeus family, the AP reported.
“We and our family have been friends with Gen. Petraeus and his family for over five years,” the Kelley family said in a statement. “We respect his and his family's privacy and want the same for us and our three children.”
In recent weeks, the FBI went to Petraeus with the discovery and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper eventually asked Petraeus to resign. Petraeus handed his letter of resignation to President Obama on Friday.
Clapper was told of the investigation at 5 p.m. on Election Day, and eventually told the White House. However, some on Capitol Hill may also have known. Reports surfaced over the weekend that House Minority Leader Eric Cantor knew of the investigation in October.
On Sunday, several lawmakers said they still expected Petraeus to eventually testify on the terrorist attack in Libya on Sept. 11, though probably not at this week's closed-door hearing.
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