Reports: FBI Was Looking for Classified Documents During Search of Paula Broadwell's Home
A search Monday night of Paula Broadwell’s home in North Carolina was undertaken by the FBI, with her consent, in an effort to determine what classified documents she had in her possession, according to articles in the ABC News and the Washington Post. They rely on unidentified sources.
Described as an effort to bring closure to reports that Broadwell had classified documents on her computer, the search has not resulted in any criminal charges against Broadwell. Agents could be seen leaving her home after several hours with boxes that could have held documents, although it is not certain that is what they contained. Both Broadwell and former CIA director David Petraeus, who resigned last week after admitting he had an extramarital affair, have denied that she got classified documents from him.
The ABC News article says the government demanded the return of the documents, which Broadwell told the FBI she got from secure government buildings. Broadwell, who co-authored a biography of the retired four-star U.S. Army general, is reportedly cooperating with authorities.
Because Broadwell is an intelligence officer in the the U.S. Military Reserve, her security clearance allowed her to see the documents, Reuters reports. However, unidentified law enforcement and national security sources say the FBI probe is focused on whether Broadwell stored the documents in a manner that violated the law.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Paula Broadwell Lawyers Up”
ABAJournal.com: “Media Interest In Petreous Scandal Casts Spotlight on Florida Lawyer’s Life”
NBC News: “Obama: ‘No evidence’ of national security harm in Petraeus scandal”
