14 DAY TRIAL // The world is yet to see the end of the Petraeus scandal, as Jill Kelley, the other “other woman” involved in it fights back.
Jill Kelley has been dubbed by media outlets the “Tampa Kardashian,” befriending top army brass, while holding dinner parties with dignitaries, together with her husband,.
She is known for blowing the whistle on the CIA director's affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell, by claiming she had received threatening emails from Petraeus' mistress.
However, the scandal cost the social liaison for the Tampa Base her credibility, as an FBI investigation showed she had exchanged numerous emails with Petraeus and his successor in Tampa, General Allen. Her conversations with the latter were dubbed “flirtatious” by an inside source.
Both she and her husband have been subjected to media scrutiny following Petraeus' resignation. Her attorney claims they are the victims here, being “subjects of [...] potentially threatening behavior” by Broadwell.
Attorney Abbe Lowell is trying to clear the air and Kelley's reputation, by releasing email and phone conversations, in an attempt to show his client did not abuse her friendships with the Generals in any form.
The layer wrote the U.S. Attorney's Office, demanding explanations over why Kelley's name was released to the press, the Politico writes.
“You no doubt have seen the tremendous attention that the Kelleys have received in the media. [...] All they did to receive this attention was to let law enforcement know that they had been the subjects of inappropriate and potentially threatening behavior by someone else,” Lowell writes.
Lowell blames a government leak for the negative attention the Kelleys have received, which brought about Jill's removal from the position of honorary consul for South Korea.
“These leaks most certainly had to come, at least in part, from government sources. [...] The earliest and best example of the leaks would be the release to the media of the names of my clients. As you know, there are several rules and laws that seek to protect United States citizens against such leaks,” he adds.
The Koreans had justified their decision by explaining that Kelley, who was millions of dollars in debt, had exploited her title by trying to broker business deals.
Such was the case with a contract for coal-gasification for one Adam Victor. The businessman who wanted to negotiate with South Korean companies was approached by her in August.