Last night, while discussing the Petraeus scandal on CNN, the network played a 911 call from one of the four major figures in the scandal: Jill Kelley. The call is perfectly bizarre in which Kelley, a Florida socialite, claims “honorary diplomatic” status to get the police to stop people from walking across her lawn. The dispatcher listens patiently and appears to resist the temptation to tell her that he will be sending over some honorary police to protect their honorary diplomatic residence.
Kelley is the woman who went to a friend in the FBI to complain about threatening emails from an anonymous source — emails that led the FBI to Paula Broadwell and ultimately Gen. David Petraeus. She and the agent are a rather odd couple. He sent her shirtless pictures of himself and was eventually removed from involvement in the case. She is described as a “nice, bored, rich socialite” who volunteered with the military as a self-described “social liaison” and cultivated relationships with generals. This included a questionable relationship with Gen. John Allen, commander of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, involving a remarkable number of emails described by some sources as a bit raunchy and “like phone sex.”
Just when you thought the scandal could not get more weird, it did. Last night, we heard this 911 call for “diplomatic protection:”
“Thank you and you know, um, I don’t know, but by any chance because I’m an honorary council general, so I have inviolability so I should… they should not be able to (cross) this property, I don’t know if you want to get diplomatic protection involved as well.
Kelley has been described as invoking her diplomatic status previously. She was given the unpaid title of “honorary ambassador” to CENTCOM, the Department of Defense Central Command. This gives her about the same diplomatic status as the hostess at an International House of Pancakes.
What is strange is that she is protected by the non-honorary title of a citizen of Tampa from trespass. She is allowed to demand the removal of people from her property so long as it is not a public space or a private space with a form of constructive easement.
She might want to stick with the Tampa title because “Honorary ambassador” does not fit neatly into the the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961). However, if she wishes to claim to be an honorary diplomat, it would allow Tampa to declare her persona non grata but it is not clear what country she would be expelled to since she is claiming diplomatic immunity in her own country. It might be just easier to get a “No Trespass” sign at Home Depot.
Here’s a little something for those of you who might be wondering about the privacy of your email:
“It also turns out that email that’s sitting on a server for more than six months, according to the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, can be considered abandoned and examined by law enforcement personnel. The Petraeus investigation brings this issue to light again: Under current U.S. law, federal authorities only need a subpoena approved by a federal prosecutor — not a judge — to obtain electronic messages that are six months old or older.
Do you have email that’s more than six month sold, sitting on an IMAP server or on Gmail? If you think about it, a system like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, Windows Live, and even Facebook can be considered a “server” according to the ECPA. Something to think about, indeed.”
http://www.askdavetaylor.com/gmail_privacy_affairs_hacking_general_david_petraeus.html
(Thanks to eniobob)
Oh wait, wait: “WASHINGTON — The CIA is opening an “exploratory” investigation into the general conduct of ex-CIA director David Petraeus, who resigned last week after acknowledging an affair.
CIA spokesman Preston Golson says the investigation by the CIA’s inspector general “doesn’t presuppose any particular outcome.”
OK, educate me:
1. What kind of investigation is not exploratory?
2. What kind of investigation DOES presuppose any particular outcome?
Then I’ll know kinda what these two paragraphs seem to want to mean.
About Todd Purdum:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Todd_Purdum
“Career”
“Until late 2005, Todd Purdum was a reporter and the Los Angeles bureau chief for the New York Times. From 1994 to 1997, Purdum was a White House correspondent for the Times. Purdum is now the national editor for Vanity Fair magazine.
For the July 2008 issue of Vanity Fair, Purdum wrote a scathing article about former President of the United States Bill Clinton entitled “The Comeback Id.” The article analyzes Clinton’s post-presidency business dealings, behavior, and possible personal indiscretions, citing several anonymous current and former Clinton aides.[1] When asked about the article by Huffington Post writer Mayhill Fowler, Clinton said (in reference to Purdum): “He’s a really dishonest reporter…and I haven’t read (the article). There’s just five or six blatant lies in there. But he’s a real slimy guy.” When Fowler reminded Clinton that Purdum is married to his former press secretary, he responded: “That’s all right – he’s still a scumbag” and later added “He’s just a dishonest guy – can’t help it.” Clinton went on to observe: “It’s all politics. It’s all about the bias of the media for Obama. Don’t think anything about it. But I’m telling ya, all it’s doing is driving her supporters further and further away – because they know exactly what it is – this has been the most rigged coverage in modern history – and the guy ought to be ashamed of himself. But he has no shame. It isn’t the first dishonest piece he’s written about me or her.” The following day, Jay Carson – a spokesman for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign – stated that Clinton regretted those remarks, though their factual content remains unchallenged.[2]
In the July 2009 issue of Vanity Fair, Purdum wrote a highly contentious essay[weasel words][by whom?] discussing Sarah Palin. In it Purdum wrote that “More than once in my travels in Alaska, people brought up, without prompting, the question of Palin’s extravagant self-regard. Several told me, independently of one another, that they had consulted the definition of ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders–‘a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy’–and thought it fit her perfectly.”
Personal life
Purdum married Tiffany Windsor Bluemle in 1987; the couple were subsequently divorced. In 1997, he married former White House Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers,[3] who served President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1994. Their relationship is the basis for the relationship between C.J. Cregg and Danny Concannon on the TV show The West Wing.[4] Purdum and Myers have two children.”
heh.
And the rouge herring swims away, with all eyes admiring the swish of her tail.
” The CIA is opening an “exploratory” investigation into the general conduct of ex-CIA director David Petraeus …” (from Elaine’s 7:04pm post)
Closing the barn door after the horse has bolted.
“Kelley’s requesting 2% rather than a flat fee may show a lack of experience in negotiating these types of deals but is also a possible indicator of how desperate she was for money.”
The two are not mutually exclusive, Blouise.
Kelley seems to have slotted herself quite nicely into that age old group that has always flitted around the edges of any organized army … the camp follower.
Petraeus Investigation: CIA Looking Into Conduct Of Ex-Chief After Affair
By KIMBERLY DOZIER 11/15/12
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/petraeus-investigation_n_2140268.html
Excerpt:
WASHINGTON — The CIA is opening an “exploratory” investigation into the general conduct of ex-CIA director David Petraeus, who resigned last week after acknowledging an affair.
CIA spokesman Preston Golson says the investigation by the CIA’s inspector general “doesn’t presuppose any particular outcome.”
Kelley’s requesting 2% rather than a flat fee may show a lack of experience in negotiating these types of deals but is also a possible indicator of how desperate she was for money.
Good lord, these Generals are a ridiculously naive bunch.
When looking for a cause, first the tawdry, then the most outrageous. OK, we got the tawdry. Where is the “shock effect” or the “1933” project. Or a “staged Watergate” with CIA actors and WH insiders.
Benghazi was an exclusively CIA/JSOC affair ordered to help Romney.
Who is holding the proof on them. And why hold? Probably trying to auttion it off. Who is investigating that possibility?
Or has CIA cooked up a repeat of their staging of Watergate?
What did Cantor say to Mueller? “We aren’t touching it” Backfire possibility.”
Chilly reception for McCain idea of special Benghazi panel
“I wonder why?” he asked with a wink and a nod.
Benghazi hearing turns ugly: Republicans accuse Obama of lying, Dems fire back
Oooo. Nice choice, mespo. Very apt.
**************
I’m getting very interested in what everybody around this knows, Smom. I suspect no one party has all the pieces although like any jigsaw puzzles, some pieces will be more revealing than others.
Kelley twins crashed a Marco Rubio fundraiser
By Mary Jane Park, Times Staff Writer
Mary Jane ParkTampa Bay Times
Posted: Nov 15, 2012 04:15 PM
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/stateroundup/kelley-twins-crashed-a-marco-rubio-fundraiser/1261693
Excerpt:
TAMPA — Apparently Tampa twins Jill Kelley and Natalie Khawam’s social calendar extended beyond military parties.
Formerly of Tampa, Republican Angelette Aviles tweeted out a photo Wednesday showing the sisters at a fundraiser with U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio.
Her caption: “JKelley @ our private office Rubio fundraiser. Dress 2 revealing? We never invited her, didn’t contribute or greet us!” See it here: twitpic.com/bd8u2s
Alex Conant, a spokesman for Rubio, told the Tampa Bay Times that they met during his 2010 Senate campaign.
“That may have been where that picture was taken,” Conant said. “Mrs. Kelley has sent his Senate office invitations to social events, but he hasn’t attended any.”
Kelley did not contribute to Rubio’s campaign.
Aviles said the photo was taken at a March 2010 fundraiser for Rubio in Tampa. The cost was $1,000 a plate.
But the twins didn’t pay anything, Aviles said.
Elaine M:
How about some recommendations on some romantic poetry to fit the occasion. I’m thinking The Marriage of Heaven and Hell by Blake.
Jill Kelley’s Social Climb Halted By David Petraeus Scandal
By ALLEN G. BEARD, TAMARA LUSH AND DONNA CASSATA, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Posted: 11/15/2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/15/jill-kelley_n_2136648.html?utm_hp_ref=politics
Gene H. I don’t know that Jill Kelley was privy to secret intelligence information unlike Broadwell who more than likely was.
That’s just bad form overall, Smom. Asking a percentage instead of a flat fee for what is essentially a finder’s fee is a deal no one in any industry is likely to take. Percentage deals are for stakeholders/developers, not contact management by middlemen. But her being bad in business is an ancillary and irrelevant issue to her being privy to secret intelligence information and the actions and reactions of pols to this becoming known. Discrediting a source is the one of if not the first step in a cover up. Just because she made a ridiculous demand in a business transaction does not mean she’s invalid as a source of information for other purposes. It just means she’s a bad negotiator.
“At the Republican National Convention in Tampa in August, New York energy entrepreneur Adam Victor was introduced to Kelley. She was described as “a very close friend of Gen. Petraeus,” who had helped Kelley become South Korea’s honorary consul.
Petraeus scandal: a who’s who Petraeus scandal: a who’s who
Members of Congress demand fuller explanation of Petraeus affair Members of Congress demand fuller explanation of Petraeus affair
David Petraeus scandal hits White House at awkward time David Petraeus scandal hits White House at awkward time
CIA Director David Petraeus resigns, citing extramarital affair CIA Director David Petraeus resigns, citing extramarital affair
Petraeus shocked to hear of Broadwell emails, associates say Petraeus shocked to hear of Broadwell emails, associates say.
Victor, who was looking to establish a major coal project in South Korea, invited Kelley to New York in mid-September. There, she again played up her Petraeus ties. Victor then flew Kelley to Hawaii to meet with a South Korean delegation to help pave the way for negotiations.
But then, Victor said, Kelley asked for 2% of the gross cost of the project for her compensation. Informed that would mean a fee of about $80 million, Kelley persisted until Victor ended the relationship. An industry standard compensation would be no more than $1 million, Victor said.
“It was such an astronomical figure that it suggested she had no experience in negotiating these types of deals,” Victor said. “Gen. Petraeus had a lapse in judgment in using his influence to put her in that position.” L A Times