A Florida socialite who sued the federal government has left the case linked to former CIA Director David Petraeus' scandal. Jill Kelley abandoned the case a week after her lawyers expressed their intention to withdraw from the case. They cited irreconcilable differences.
Kelley abandoned the lawsuit a week after her lawyers expressed their move to resign from the case, ABC News reports. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson gave Kelley a chance to hire new lawyers or inform the judge if she plans to represent herself until Thursday. Kelley and her husband filed a legal case against the federal government in 2013 over their reported violations of the U.S. Privacy Act. The socialite claimed that the federal government disclosed personal information during Petraeus' scandal investigation.
Before Kelley withdrew the case against the federal government, the Justice Department said that they tried to settle the claims with the plaintiff last summer, Yahoo reported. However, Kelley allegedly didn't accept the offer. She then offered the government a $4.35 million settlement. The federal government refused to accept the settlement and immediately closed future negotiation. The federal government claimed that they now see the case in a different way.
In a report published by Time a year after Petraeus' scandal emerged, it was revealed that Kelley's lawsuit began when the FBI started to investigate on the harassing emails she's getting. In May 2012, Kelley received harassing emails that were traced to Petraeus' biographer and mistress, Paula Broadwell. Broadwell threatened Kelley through emails as she thought that the former CIA director had special eyes to the socialite. However, with the FBI's intervention, Petraeus' scandal was discovered as his extra-marital affair with Broadwell was discovered. Petraeus was also accused of sharing of classified information.
"After being married for over 37 years, I showed extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair," Petraeus said in his statement when he resigned. "Such behavior is unacceptable, both as a husband and as the leader of an organization such as ours."
Kelley hasn't commented on her move against the federal government. It's unknown if she's still willing to continue the case. A representative for the Justice Department has declined to comment.
