‘Stay Away From My Guy’: The Angry Email that Ended Petraeus’ Career

Jill Kelley Revealed as the Other Other Woman in Scandal

by Jason Ditz, November 11, 2012

After a flurry of revelations Friday following the surprise resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus, the story of an extra-marital affair turned potential leak of classified data continues to unfold in bizarre directions, with another “other woman” entering onto the scene.

This “third woman” has been named as Jill Kelley, a Florida woman who volunteered organizing parties for the military, and who insists she was just a “friend” to Petraeus, something which some of Petraeus’ other friends say was likely the case.

Don’t try telling that to Paula Broadwell, the original “other woman” of the story. Having been given access to Petraeus’ Gmail account, she was convinced that Petraeus was fooling around on her with Kelley, even as he was fooling around with her on his wife.

And that’s where the general’s long career began to unravel, as Broadwell sent Kelley a “stay away from my guy” email and increasingly ugly and threatening emails followed, prompting Kelley to notify the FBI. She had no clue how big a deal this would be.

The FBI started the investigation into Broadwell and quickly discovered who “her guy” was, which turned this from a simple “jealous lover threats” thing to a “CIA Director gave his girlfriend access to classified data” thing.

Petraeus’ resignation was couched as a question of morality, but as the details continue to emerge, ridiculous as many of them turned out to be, it is clear it went far deeper than just the sloppy affair, and but for Broadwell’s over-the-top jealous emails, it may never have been uncovered at all.

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