|
 |
 |
|
Pelosi sees no security threat in Petraeus scandal
-
11/13/12 04:23 PM ET
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said Tuesday that she sees no security threat in the scandal surrounding former CIA Director David Petraeus.
The California Democrat emphasized that she still wants to know why lawmakers were not told sooner of the FBI investigation that uncovered the extramarital affair that led Petraeus to resign on Friday. But those concerns are less serious, she said, than any surrounding national security threats.
"I don't have any reason to think that there are any national security issues at stake in what has transpired," Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol on Congress's first day back in Washington after a seven-week recess.
"We have to find out who, what, when and why would Congress [not have known]," she added. "But, again, if it doesn't involve national security, the notification requirement doesn't trigger. If it involves poor behavior, yeah, it would have been nice to know before we saw it on TV."
The plot thickened this week when it was revealed that the FBI is also investigating Gen. John Allen, the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, over “potentially inappropriate” communications between him and the female whistleblower who launched the initial probe that unearthed the Petraeus affair.
Pelosi, who sat down Tuesday with Acting CIA Director Michael Morell, declined to discuss what was said during that meeting. But her confidence that there was no security threat suggests Morell told her the same.
"It's really important to note that this was a personal indiscretion, as far as we know," Pelosi said. "Why somebody would be personally indiscreet is their own problem. Why they would do it in emails is beyond my imagination.
"But in any event, the honorable thing was done," she added. "The general has resigned."
The California Democrat emphasized that she still wants to know why lawmakers were not told sooner of the FBI investigation that uncovered the extramarital affair that led Petraeus to resign on Friday. But those concerns are less serious, she said, than any surrounding national security threats.
"I don't have any reason to think that there are any national security issues at stake in what has transpired," Pelosi told reporters in the Capitol on Congress's first day back in Washington after a seven-week recess.
"We have to find out who, what, when and why would Congress [not have known]," she added. "But, again, if it doesn't involve national security, the notification requirement doesn't trigger. If it involves poor behavior, yeah, it would have been nice to know before we saw it on TV."
Petraeus resigned abruptly on Friday after an FBI investigation revealed an affair he'd had earlier in the year with his biographer. The scandal has caused an uproar on Capitol Hill, where some lawmakers are hammering the FBI for not warning congressional leaders earlier.
Pelosi, who sat down Tuesday with Acting CIA Director Michael Morell, declined to discuss what was said during that meeting. But her confidence that there was no security threat suggests Morell told her the same.
"It's really important to note that this was a personal indiscretion, as far as we know," Pelosi said. "Why somebody would be personally indiscreet is their own problem. Why they would do it in emails is beyond my imagination.
"But in any event, the honorable thing was done," she added. "The general has resigned."
Most Viewed RSS Feed »
