Former CIA Head and USC Professor Petraeus to plead guilty


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The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that former CIA Director and Price School of Public Policy Judge Widney Professor David Petraeus will plead guilty to providing his then mistress, Paula Broadwell, with classified information in 2011.

Petraeus stated that he had given Broadwell, his biographer, access to eight “black books” that contained classified information regarding issues of national security, codes and the information as to the identities of various undercover agents and employees.

Petraeus’ guilty plea is part of a plea deal he struck with the Department of Justice in which he will only plead guilty to a single count of retaining classified information. This will allow the retired four-star army general to sidestep charges of obstruction of justice and lying to the FBI, which hold more serious punishments. The Department of Justice announced they would recommend probation for Petraeus.

The investigation into the leaked information began back in 2012 when the FBI received a complaint from Jill Kelley, a friend and colleague of Petraeus’ claiming to be receiving threatening emails from an unknown source that appeared to be an attempt to blackmail the CIA director.

The FBI determined Broadwell to be the source of the harassing emails and found evidence of the Broadwell Petraeus affair. Petraeus stepped down from his position as CIA director in 2012 after news of his affair with Broadwell went public.

When the FBI called Broadwell in for questioning on the investigation, she informed them that Petraeus had given her access to classified information during a four-day window, which they later confirmed after finding evidence of the leaked information on her computer. Prior to his resignation, the FBI called Petraeus in for questioning where he lied to agents, claiming he had never given out classified information.

In April 2013, the FBI retrieved the black books Broadwell referenced from Petraeus’ home, and the retired general signed the plea deal on Feb. 22.

Petraeus came to USC in October 2013, focusing his lectures to students on how energy technology and life science innovations will help to grow and improve the North American economy.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the university has not responded to requests for comment.

Also a faculty advisor for the USC Veterans Association, Petraeus has said that one of the draws to USC for him was the value the university places on service members.

“USC is in the middle of a surge,” Petraeus said at an October 2012 lunch with the Veterans Association. “USC has a great faculty, great students and the weather’s fantastic. It’s hard to beat.”