‘You ROCK!!!’ — Excerpts of e-mail conversations between a Tampa socialite and two high-ranking military officials
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Version 0 of 1. Jill Kelley, a Tampa hostess and honorary ambassador to the U.S. Central Command, was a key figure in one of the most embarrassing national-security scandals of the past decade, which resulted in the resignation of CIA Director David H. Petraeus and the unexpected retirement of Marine Gen. John R. Allen. [Read full story: Jill Kelley e-mails depict a striving Tampa socialite and a smitten military brass] Below are excerpts of 2012 e-mails between Kelley and two other military leaders: Marine Gen. James N. Mattis and Vice Adm. Robert S. Harward, the commander and deputy commander, respectively, of U.S. Central Command. The Pentagon recently released 238 pages of heavily redacted e-mails in response to a Freedom of Information Act request filed by The Washington Post in November 2012. “You ROCK!!!” “You ROCK!!!” “Your horse, chariot and Knight will be there” “Your horse, chariot and Knight will be there” “Please! Please! Please!” “Please! Please! Please!” “(plus I would really like working with the Commander!:-))” “(plus I would really like working with the Commander!:-))” “You must state that you will NOT support ‘another’ Centcom/Coaltion Ambassador” “You must state that you will NOT support ‘another’ Centcom/Coaltion Ambassador” “..he’s so sophisticated, elegant and dignified.” “..he’s so sophisticated, elegant and dignified.” “If all else fails we’ll try to link up for burgers & beer somewhere, smile.“ “If all else fails we’ll try to link up for burgers & beer somewhere, smile.“ Kelley’s attorney, Alan C. Raul of Washington, released this statement: In the face of various, ongoing leaks from law enforcement, the Attorney General and federal government spokespeople have repeatedly said that the Justice Department and other federal agencies do not condone leaks from ongoing investigations and that they take protection of the privacy of citizens very seriously. But the experience of Jill Kelley and her husband Dr. Scott Kelley has been very much to the contrary. Senior defense, law enforcement, and intelligence officials shamefully leaked the Kelley’s names and personal information when they were the victims of someone else’s cyberstalking crime. The government has never even apologized to them for these harmful leaks. In fact, the Defense Department is continuing to disclose Jill Kelley’s private emails without seeking her permission and seemingly without regard for the privacy of an innocent citizen. The latest set of emails made public by the government simply confirms that Jill Kelley is and was a talented, civic-minded woman doing productive work as Honorary Ambassador to Central Command in Tampa and as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea. Nonetheless, continued unauthorized government release of the Kelleys’ emails exposes them to further unjustified embarrassment and injury. The Kelleys were compelled to file a Privacy Act lawsuit against the government over the original damaging leaks, and the court has ruled their case should go forward. Department of Justice spokesman Patrick Rodenbush was recently quoted about another case as saying that DOJ’s leadership “met with law enforcement agencies to make clear the necessity of protecting the privacy and safety of third parties in every aspect of our criminal investigations.” The Kelleys hope their lawsuit will actually help to impose some restraint and accountability on officials who do not take those privacy and safety obligations seriously. In the face of various, ongoing leaks from law enforcement, the Attorney General and federal government spokespeople have repeatedly said that the Justice Department and other federal agencies do not condone leaks from ongoing investigations and that they take protection of the privacy of citizens very seriously. But the experience of Jill Kelley and her husband Dr. Scott Kelley has been very much to the contrary. Senior defense, law enforcement, and intelligence officials shamefully leaked the Kelley’s names and personal information when they were the victims of someone else’s cyberstalking crime. The government has never even apologized to them for these harmful leaks. In fact, the Defense Department is continuing to disclose Jill Kelley’s private emails without seeking her permission and seemingly without regard for the privacy of an innocent citizen. The latest set of emails made public by the government simply confirms that Jill Kelley is and was a talented, civic-minded woman doing productive work as Honorary Ambassador to Central Command in Tampa and as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea. Nonetheless, continued unauthorized government release of the Kelleys’ emails exposes them to further unjustified embarrassment and injury. The Kelleys were compelled to file a Privacy Act lawsuit against the government over the original damaging leaks, and the court has ruled their case should go forward. Department of Justice spokesman Patrick Rodenbush was recently quoted about another case as saying that DOJ’s leadership “met with law enforcement agencies to make clear the necessity of protecting the privacy and safety of third parties in every aspect of our criminal investigations.” The Kelleys hope their lawsuit will actually help to impose some restraint and accountability on officials who do not take those privacy and safety obligations seriously. Read full story: Jill Kelley e-mails depict a striving Tampa socialite and a smitten military brass |