David Patraeus Extramarital Affair: CIA Director’s Mistress Paula Broadwell Discovered Through Threatening Emails to Florida Woman

By Staff Reporter | Nov 12, 2012 09:39 AM EST

More details are emerging about the former CIA Director, David Pareaues' extramarital love affair. His lover has been identified as author Paula Broadwell, who was actually his biographer.

Authorities revealed on Sunday, that Broadwell sent threatening letters to Jill Kelly. Kelly worked for Florida State Department liaison to the military's Joint Special Operations Command. When Kelly, 37, informed the FBI of the threatening emails, who in turn traced it back to Broadwell, after which the relation to Patraeus was revealed.

Patraeus submitted his resignation to President Barrack Obama on Friday citing an extramarital affair as an the cause for stepping down.

According to the New York Times, Patraeus said in his statement, "After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair...Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours. This afternoon, the president graciously accepted my resignation."

Patraeus was appointed Director of CIA in September of 2011. Prior to this, the 60-year-old served as a four star general in the U.S. Army. He led the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Deputy Director of CIA, Michael J. Morell, will fill in the position.

"By any measure, through his lifetime of service, David Petraeus has made our country safer and stronger," said President Obama in a statement released upon Patraeus' resignation,  

Without directly addressing the affair, Mr. Obama added: "Going forward, my thoughts and prayers are with Dave and Holly Petraeus, who has done so much to help military families through her own work. I wish them the very best at this difficult time," as reported by The New York Times.

Holly Patraeus is the assistant director of the Office of Servicemember Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

While Secretary of State Hilary Clinton had voiced her intention of resigning from the position prior to Obama's re-election, Patraeus intended on remaining as the CIA Director. His resignation surprised both the administration and media.

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