Spokesman: House majority leader knew of Petraeus matter in October (I give up!)

cnn ^ | 11/11/2012 | staff

[tobyhill]

House majority leader Eric Cantor talked to an FBI official in late October about former CIA Director David Petraeus' involvement in an affair, a spokesman for the congressman told CNN Sunday.

Doug Heye said Cantor had a conversation with the whistleblower about the affair and the national security concerns involved in the matter.

The New York Times reported Saturday that on October 31, Cantor's chief of staff phoned the FBI to inform the agency about the call between the congressman and the FBI official. The Times reported Cantor learned of the whistleblower through Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Washington.

A spokeswoman for Reichert told CNN Sunday that the Times article was accurate but that the congressman had no further comment on his involvement in the case.

Petraeus' affair came to light when an FBI investigation looked into a complaint that his biographer, Paula Broadwell, was sending harassing e-mails to another woman close to the retired four-star general, a U.S. official told CNN Saturday.

[tennmountainman]

For the same reason Cantor reported it to the FBI.
It’s called oversight. Congressional Oversight.
The reason. Blackmail. If it wasn’t so important. Why did Betrayus resign
Over it?

[GoodDay]

>>>If Canter is House majority leader, what the heck is John Boehner?

John Boehner is SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

[tobyhill]

Cantor felt it important enough to turn it over to the FBI so why didn't he call Petraeus behind closed doors and demand answers for himself?

[tobyhill]

Cantor has every right to call his own investigation and it could have started on Nov 1 and had Petraeus’s resignation on the 2nd.

[ravenwolf]

This whole thing is preposterous. Yes, he screwed up, but this was USED to ruin P at an opportune time.

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You got that right, it reminds me of the thing that Jesus told the religious leaders.

They strain on a gnat and swallow a camel.

[MarineMom613]

Dumb question... What is p4????
Thanks!

[tobyhill]

Petraeus was doomed from the moment he fooled around but Cantor should have demanded answers the moment he found out, not a week later, after the election.
If Cantor found out on Oct. 31 then he could have got all the info he needed to demand the resignation. It could have been done without disclosing classified info.

[Uri’el-2012]

Dumb question... What is p4???? Thanks!

Petraeus has four stars => p4 (nickname)

[pepsionice]

Cantor never knew who the stalker was, or her “man”. All he knew was some harassment episode was going on and the FBI had the resources to figure out the email target.

You guys all think that Cantor has some intelligence collection capability and personally tracks the various stalkers around DC, and that just isn’t the case.

[didi]

I just recently learned that p4 = Petraeus. It’s his nickname (Petraeus and 4 star [general]).

[tobyhill]

All he had to do is ask Petraeus one on one behind closed doors. Petraeus would have known the jig was up and would have gave his resignation that afternoon.
It was delayed for one reason, to not create waves until after the election.

[Republican Wildcat]

(I give up!)

For what reason?

[tobyhill]

Just frustration. We never get the information until it’s too late or when we do get it at the last moment, our Reps just kind of walk with it.

[rfp1234]

Issa should have been notified. Armed with this explosive information, he would have found a way to pressure releases of info on Benghazi by bargaining with administration officials through backchannels. And Boehner knew.

Perhaps Cantor thought it could have been a trap by the Chicago mob. They certainly would have no problem feeding false info to the GOP, and having it backfire big time. “How dare the GOP politicize national security, with pre-election smears against a war hero?”

Regardless, time for a real Speaker and Majority Leader. Ryan, Issa, Gohmert, anyone but these two mollusks.

[tobyhill]

That's why they should have called Petraeus and asked him if what they heard was true and then after he fesses up, demand his resignation right then and there.

[Hattie]

Now I hate Repubs as much as Dems. I am now an Independent.

[conservaKate]

Cantor knew of the allegation from a whistle blower
____________________________________________________________

Not really directed at Rockingham...just using your post to ask a question.

Why is the person called a whistle blower and not an FBI leaker? IIRC....the ‘wb’ was also an FBI employee. Why isn’t that person slapped down for leaking?

IMO...a whistle blower is someone who testifies about their ‘own’ company...not about someone in another business. It’s not just semantics to me. I don’t like all this leaking from any one. It seems very politically motivated...

But then, I’m a suspicious sort.

[bigbob]

I have no particular use for Cantor but what he did is what a member of Congress should have done in a case involving classified information. What would you have him do, call the National Enquirer?

[ravenwolf]

Petraeus was doomed from the moment he fooled around but Cantor should have demanded answers the moment he found out,

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What strikes me as stupid is the fact they are treating this like a national emergency, but when Clinton did much worse it was taken with a grain of salt.

But i have to admit i was not on free republic then but i did listen to the radio every day.

Some people try to make a security issue out of it but don,t you think it is a little too late for that?

It is too late to worry about a communist invasion because they have already conquered America.

[tobyhill]

No, I don’t expect him to disclose classified information but why didn’t he just call Petraeus and ask?
I believe Patraeus is a man of honor and would have resigned immediately knowing the jig is up.