CIA Chief Resigns Over Affair

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WASHINGTON—Central Intelligence Agency Director David Petraeus resigned after a probe into whether someone else was using his email led to the discovery that he was having an extramarital affair, according to several people briefed on the matter.

A Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry into use of one of Mr. Petraeus’s personal email accounts led agents to believe the woman or someone close to her had accessed them, the people said.

Multiple officials familiar with the investigation identified the woman with whom Mr. Petraeus had the affair as Paula Broadwell, who wrote a biography of him called “All In: The Education of Gen. David Petraeus.” Efforts to reach Ms. Broadwell on Friday weren’t successful. A spokeswoman for her publisher didn’t immediately comment.

The resignation, which surprised the nation’s capital on Friday afternoon, represented an abrupt fall in the career of a man who had been one of the most celebrated military leaders of his time, a four-star general credited with turning the tide in Iraq and reversing the momentum of the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The computer-security investigation points to one reason Mr. Petraeus and the White House believed the popular official couldn’t remain in the senior intelligence position: The affair raised the possibility his improper relationship could have compromised national security.

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Obama’s Interior Department Releases Plan to Close 1.6 Million Acres to Shale Oil Development

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photo credit: farther along
The Interior Department on Friday issued a final plan to close 1.6 million acres of federal land in the West originally slated for oil shale development.

The proposed plan would fence off a majority of the initial blueprint laid out in the final days of the George W. Bush administration. It faces a 30-day protest period and a 60-day process to ensure it is consistent with local and state policies. After that, the department would render a decision for implementation.

The move is sure to rankle Republicans, who say President Obama’s grip on fossil fuel drilling in federal lands is too tight.

Interior’s Bureau of Land Management cited environmental concerns for the proposed changes. Among other things, it excised lands with “wilderness characteristics” and areas that conflicted with sage grouse habitats.

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Huckabee Leads Iowa Poll for 2016 GOP Presidential Race

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photo credit: gage skidmoreFormer Arkansas Gov. and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee leads the field of possible contenders for the 2016 GOP presidential race in Iowa, according to a new survey of Republican voters from Public Policy Polling.

Huckabee, now a radio talk show host, garnered 15 percent support in the poll, taken Nov. 3-4. He was followed by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan, and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie at 12 percent.

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush placed fifth with 11 percent support, former presidential candidate Rick Santorum was sixth with 10 percent, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice scored seventh with 9 percent.

Trailing them was Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul with 5 percent and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin with 4 percent.

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Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. in Talks Over Plea Agreement, Still in Hospital, Overwhelmingly Wins Reelection

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Attorneys for the Justice Department and Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. are in talks about a possible deal regarding allegations of campaign finance violations, according to sources familiar with the investigation. Negotiations have been under way for some time.

It is unclear whether the talks will result in a plea agreement, but sources say the talks could come to some conclusion soon.

Part of the investigation’s focus is on whether Jackson improperly used campaign funds for personal purchases, including furnishings for his Washington, D.C., home. Investigators are also looking at allegations that Jackson bought a female friend a $40,000 Rolex watch. The investigation is being run by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

Representative Jackson’s office said he is currently receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic – his second prolonged stay there since being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. He is refraining from any official duties until he is given a clean bill of health by his doctors.

The Chicago congressman coasted to victory in Tuesday’s election, keeping a seat he first won in a special election in 1995. Jackson won re-election despite having virtually no presence on the campaign trail. A robo-call to constituents describing his recent health troubles and thanking supporters for their “patience, your prayers … during this difficult time” appears to be the only evidence of Jackson’s campaigning at all.

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Chris Christie Telephones Obama to Congratulate Him, But Emails Condolences to Romney

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[Editor’s Note: Chris Christie lashed out over the media’s report that he had called Obama. Christie claims that is was, in fact, Obama who called him.] New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said that he had called President Obama to congratulate him on his win in the 2012 presidential election — but has only sent an email to Mitt Romney, the Republican nominee for whom he campaigned heavily earlier this year.

“We didn’t have a political strategy discussion,” Christie said of his call to Obama, according to Bloomberg. “I said congratulations on your win last night Mr. President, he said thank you governor.”

Christie added that he had sent an email to Romney on Wednesday night.

“We haven’t spoken on the phone yet,” he continued.

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7 SEAL’s Punished For Disclosing Information Used in Medal of Honor Video Game

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Seven members of the secretive Navy SEAL Team 6, including one involved in the mission to get Osama bin Laden, have been punished for disclosing classified information, senior Navy officials said Thursday.

Four other SEALs are under investigation for similar alleged violations, one official said.

They allegedly divulged classified information to the creator of the video game ‘Medal of Honor: Warfighter.’

Each of the seven received a punitive letter of reprimand- which generally prevents individuals from being promoted- and a partial forfeiture of pay for two months.

The deputy commander of Naval Special Warfare Command, Rear Admiral Garry Bonelli, issued a statement acknowledging that nonjudicial punishments had been handed out for misconduct, but he did not offer any details.

‘We do not tolerate deviations from the policies that govern who we are and what we do as sailors in the United States Navy,’ Bonelli said.

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House Speaker Boehner Gives Up Effort to Repeal Obamacare Because of Obama Win

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Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner said he would not make it his mission to repeal the controversial healthcare reform law following the re-election of President Barack Obama.

‘The election changes that,’ Boehner told ABC news anchor Diane Sawyer on Thursday when asked if repealing the law was ‘still your mission.’

‘It’s pretty clear that the President was re-elected. Obamacare is the law of the land,’ Boehner said.

Under Boehner’s leadership, the House tried repeatedly to repeal the healthcare law, the signature domestic measure of Obama’s first term.

While a few provisions were eliminated or changed, Senate Democrats blocked outright termination of the law.

Boehner added that parts of the law were going to be difficult to implement and that everything had to be on the table as lawmakers try to create a path to a balanced budget.

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Radical US Muslim Group Applauds the Defeat of Republicans, Especially Allen West

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In a press release, the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) welcomed what it called “the rejection of Islamophobic candidates by voters nationwide.” This followed the re-election of President Barack Obama, a professing Christian, who has long been rumored to be a Muslim in secret. CAIR focused on the electoral defeat of Rep. Allen West (R), who the group quoted as saying that Islam is not a religion but is instead a “totalitarian theocratic political ideology” that is a “very vile and very vicious enemy,” was defeated by a narrow margin.

Also in Florida, State Representative Adam Hasner (R) was defeated in his bid for Congress. Hasner once co-hosted an event featuring Dutch anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders that was also sponsored by the person CAIR characterized as an “Anti-Muslim hate group leader” Pamela Geller – blogger who frequently writes about terrorism and the persecution of Christians in Muslim lands. CAIR criticized Hasner for blocking “Florida Muslim Capitol Day” in 2009.

CAIR also applauded the defeat of Florida man, Terry Kemple, who lost his campaign for the Hillsborough County School Board. The CAIR release stated, “Kemple’s main issue in the race was seeking to keep Muslim speakers out of local schools.”

In Illinois, Rep. Joe Walsh (R) was defeated in his re-election bid. CAIR claims that during the campaign this year, when a town hall meeting attendee told him that he was “looking for some godly men and women in the Senate, in the Congress, who will stand in the face of the danger of Islam,” Walsh supposedly “left the door open for suspicion of every Muslim living in Illinois” when he said that Islamism is more of a threat “now that it was right after 9/11” and “It’s here. It’s in Elk Grove. It’s in Addison. It’s in Elgin. It’s here.”

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Boehner ‘Confident’ GOP, Obama Can Reach Deal on Immigration Reform

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photo credit: medilldcSpeaker John Boehner said Thursday he was “confident” Republicans could agree to a comprehensive immigration bill.

Boehner (R-Ohio) made the comment in an interview with ABC News released two days after President Obama’s decisive reelection victory over Mitt Romney.

Obama’s win was fueled by Hispanic voters, who made up a larger portion of the electorate than they did four years ago and voted overwhelmingly for Obama. The president won Latino voters by 44 points, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

The defeat and those figures have triggered a round of soul-searching by Republicans.

Boehner offered optimism that his party could come to an agreement with Obama on immigration, a subject that has hurt the GOP with Hispanic voters.

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Vote Fraud? Obama Receives More Than 99% of Vote in 13 Philadelphia Wards

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photo credit: elvert barnesSome Philadelphia neighborhoods outdid themselves in Tuesday’s presidential election.

In a city where President Obama received more than 85 percent of the votes, in some places he received almost every one. In 13 Philadelphia wards, Obama received 99 percent of the vote or more.

Those wards, many with large African American populations, also swung heavily for Obama over John McCain in 2008. But the difficult economy seemed destined to dampen that enthusiasm four years later.

Not to worry. Ward leaders and voters said they were just as motivated this time.

“In this election, you had to point out to the people what was at stake. And in many cases, they felt that the Romney doctrine was not going to favor the working man,” said Edgar “Sonny” Campbell.

Campbell is leader of West Philadelphia’s Fourth Ward, where Obama received 9,955 votes. Romney? Just 55.

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