Affair fallout stuns Petraeus biographer

By The Associated Press

Paula Broadwell is telling friends she is devastated by the fallout from her extramarital affair with retired general David Petraeus, which led to his resignation as head of the CIA.

A person close to Broadwell said Sunday that she deeply regrets the damage that has 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.

Friends welcomed Broadwell, her husband, Scott, and their young sons back to their home in Charlotte after Broadwell spent more than a week staying at her brother’s home in Washington, D.C. The family associate said Broadwell was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from her neighbors. Although Petraeus has given one interview and communicated his regret over the affair through friends and associates, public indications of Broadwell’s response have been few.

Broadwell is 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. Investigators say many of the documents are old and may no longer be classified despite their labels.

The FBI stumbled onto the relationship between the general and Broadwell after tracking anonymous e-mails Broadwell allegedly sent to Tampa socialite Jill Kelley, warning Kelley to stay away from Petraeus and Afghanistan War commander Gen. John Allen.

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Category: National