Friend: Broadwell devastated by fallout from affair with Petraeus
WASHINGTON (AP) - Paula Broadwell is telling friends she is devastated by the fallout from her extramarital affair with retired Gen. David Petraeus, which led to his resignation as head of the CIA.
A person close to Broadwell said Sunday she deeply regrets the damage that's been done to her family and everyone else's, and she is trying to repair that and move forward. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
A group of friends and neighbors welcomed Broadwell, her husband, Scott, and their young sons back to their home in Charlotte, N.C., after Broadwell spent more than a week being hounded by media while staying at her brother's home in Washington. The family associate said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from her neighbors.
While Petraeus has given one interview, and communicated his regret over the affair through friends and associates, this is one of the first messages to the public from Broadwell.
Broadwell is still being investigated by the FBI over classified documents found on her laptop and in her home, which investigators believe the author gathered while researching her biography of Petraeus in Afghanistan. Investigators say many of the documents are old and may no longer be classified despite their labels, and say Broadwell told them she did not get them from Petraeus.
The FBI stumbled onto their relationship after tracking anonymous emails Broadwell allegedly sent to Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, warning Kelley to stay away from Petraeus and Afghanistan war commander Gen. John Allen.
Kelley served as sort of an unpaid social liaison for Central Command, hosting parties at her and her husband's home, where senior officers would mingle with Tampa's elite. Officials say Kelley kept in near constant contact with Allen, and Petraeus before him, apparently trading on her friendship with the four-star commanders to advance her social status in the military-conscious community of Tampa.
The scandal widened when the Pentagon announced it was looking into that copious correspondence between Kelley and Allen, searching for possible evidence of an inappropriate relationship between the two married people. Allen's nomination to lead the U.S. European Command has been put on hold, pending results of the investigation, though officials now concede only a handful of the emails between Kelley and Allen are of a flirtatious or questionable nature.
The FBI found no reason to further investigate Petraeus, but the CIA is now investigating whether the former director behaved inappropriately, such as possibly using agency resources to further the affair.
A person close to Broadwell said Sunday she deeply regrets the damage that's been done to her family and everyone else's, and she is trying to repair that and move forward. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.
A group of friends and neighbors welcomed Broadwell, her husband, Scott, and their young sons back to their home in Charlotte, N.C., after Broadwell spent more than a week being hounded by media while staying at her brother's home in Washington. The family associate said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from her neighbors.
While Petraeus has given one interview, and communicated his regret over the affair through friends and associates, this is one of the first messages to the public from Broadwell.
Broadwell is still being investigated by the FBI over classified documents found on her laptop and in her home, which investigators believe the author gathered while researching her biography of Petraeus in Afghanistan. Investigators say many of the documents are old and may no longer be classified despite their labels, and say Broadwell told them she did not get them from Petraeus.
The FBI stumbled onto their relationship after tracking anonymous emails Broadwell allegedly sent to Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, warning Kelley to stay away from Petraeus and Afghanistan war commander Gen. John Allen.
Kelley served as sort of an unpaid social liaison for Central Command, hosting parties at her and her husband's home, where senior officers would mingle with Tampa's elite. Officials say Kelley kept in near constant contact with Allen, and Petraeus before him, apparently trading on her friendship with the four-star commanders to advance her social status in the military-conscious community of Tampa.
The scandal widened when the Pentagon announced it was looking into that copious correspondence between Kelley and Allen, searching for possible evidence of an inappropriate relationship between the two married people. Allen's nomination to lead the U.S. European Command has been put on hold, pending results of the investigation, though officials now concede only a handful of the emails between Kelley and Allen are of a flirtatious or questionable nature.
The FBI found no reason to further investigate Petraeus, but the CIA is now investigating whether the former director behaved inappropriately, such as possibly using agency resources to further the affair.
I'll bet she regrets her stupid little cat fight much more than she regrets the affair. "The general only cheats on his wife with me, b*tch!!" Hands down, the stupidest thing she could have done, trumped only by Jill Kelley's decision to get an FBI agent involved in the mess. Dumb broads still behaving like they're in high school.
 I was betrayed and I know quite a few other people who were betrayed by their spouse. Most (including myself) wanted to restore their marriage. Only a small percentage succeed after an affair. It should be up to the cheating spouse to do all they can to regain the trust of the betrayed spouse. They need to be an open book in every thing they do, but most would not be willing to do that.Â
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As for the betrayed spouse, the best recipe is to figure their role in the marriage breakdown and improve ones self in that regard...and get a life and detach from what the cheating spouse is up to. I most cases, I would recommend growing a spine and not being a doormat...and protecting ones self legally to the point of filing for a divorce. It is best to be on the offensive legally.
My heart bleeds. Not.
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They are adults. They knew exactly what they were doing and the risks entailed.
While it's a shame they made the wrong choices, they brought about their own situation.
The respective spouses of both Broadwell and Petraeus need to file for divorce. I consider both Broadwell and Petraeus low life scum for betraying their families.
Yup, bad behavior can have some consequences. Devastation can be one of them!
I've figured out a 100% method for not getting caught cheating. It's worked for me for a dozen years.
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It may not be easy, but it's simple. Don't cheat.
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Media printing pictures of people INSIDE their (or friends/family) homes? We prosecute people who spy on people in their homes - and for good reason. Paparazzi are bad enough in public (there should be a 365-day/yr season with no bag limit). But, this clearly crosses the criminal line.
The poor Mata Hari.Â
"The family associate said she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from her neighbors." , REALLY?? This a perv neighborhood ??
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 @HarryJuku I believe that adultery lowers a persons IQ by about 20 points.
 @Dirtman  @HarryJuku That's because the "brains" they were thinking with are so very much smaller.