Jill Kelley

Jill Kelley (born June 3, 1975) is a philanthropist, socialite, activist and diplomatic advisor.[1][2][3][4][5] She was also a former South Korean Honorary Consul,[6][7] and honorary ambassador to U.S. Central Command in 2012 under Marine General James N. Mattis, then commander of U.S. military forces in the Middle East.[8][9] She is currently the president of Military Diplomacy Strategies, an international advisory firm.[1][2][3][4]

For other people with similar names, see Jill Kelly (disambiguation).

Jill Kelley
Jill and Scott Kelley
Born
Jill Gilberte Khawam

(1975-06-03) June 3, 1975
Beirut, Lebanon
OccupationActivist, philanthropist, diplomatic advisor
Spouse(s)Scott Kelley
Children3
Websitehttps://jillkelley.com/

Early life and marriage

Kelley was born in Beirut, Lebanon,[10] on June 3, 1975. Her family includes her identical twin sister, attorney Natalie Khawam;[11] a brother, attorney David Khawam; and sister, Caroline.[12] Jill's parents[13] are Catholics who immigrated to the United States from Beirut, Lebanon in the mid-1970s.[14] Kelley lived in the Philadelphia area until her mid-20s, where she was nicknamed Gigi.[15][16] Following high school, she worked for a medical researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1999, Kelley married cancer surgeon Scott Kelley[17] whom she met when she was publishing medical research at the University of Pennsylvania. Her husband completed his undergraduate degree at Dartmouth College, attended Columbia University Medical School, and completed surgical residency at the University of Pennsylvania.[15] Following their marriage, Kelley moved to Tampa with her husband, and they subsequently had three children. She is the inventor and owner of two biomedical patents.[18]

Public life

Kelley and her husband have been active socialites in the Tampa area.[19][20][21] Kelley became an unpaid social liaison to MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.[22] Kelley and her husband were known for hosting cigar and caviar parties for military leaders at their home near the United States Central Command.[23]

Kelley is a former Honorary Consul for the Republic of Korea, a title she was given for her connections between high ranking US commanders and South Korean companies and government. She was stripped of that status on 27 November 2012.[6][7]

Kelley has stated that she was inappropriately removed from the post because she was a figure in the Petraeus scandal.[24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31]

As an honorary social ambassador to the MacDill Air Force Base military community, Kelley was known to be "connective tissue" to the diplomatic community.[32] Kelley was a regular on the DC diplomatic circuit and frequently attended embassy events.[33] She is known to be the go-between for Lebanese and other Middle Eastern government officials.[34]

In 2011, she received the Joint Chiefs of Staff Outstanding Public Service Award.[35]

In 2012, she was as honorary ambassador to U.S. Central Command under Marine General James N. Mattis, then commander of U.S. military forces in the Middle East.[8][9]

In 2018, Jill Kelley and a senior advisor to the president had a meeting with the Polish government to set up a U.S. military base in Poland, with Poland paying for all the costs, to improve their national security and gain better relations with the U.S. military and the United States.[36]

She is currently the president of her own company, Military Diplomacy Strategies, an international diplomatic advisory firm.[1][2][3][4]

E-mail investigation
Main article: Petraeus scandal

In May 2012, Kelley complained to an FBI investigator of harassing e-mails sent by an anonymous person. In her communication with the FBI, Kelley stated that the e-mails appeared to be an attempt to blackmail General David Petraeus. After the threats increased and included her family's whereabouts, Kelley filed an official report with the FBI in June 2012; her complaint of harassing emails she received by the cyber-stalker, Paula Broadwell, led to the FBI's discovery of CIA Director General David Petraeus's extramarital affair.[37] The stalker was reported to be Paula Broadwell, mistress of David Petraeus.[38][39] During the course of the criminal investigation, government officials disclosed Kelley's name as the victim to the Washington Post, along with the evidentiary emails she provided to the FBI.[40] It was followed by revelations that FBI agents searched "years" of Kelley's personal e-mails not pertinent or relevant to the case,[41] which was followed by false descriptions of her personal emails by a series of hints to the press about emails between U.S.’s top commander in Afghanistan, General John R. Allen.[42] The accusations sparked an investigation by the Department of Defense, in which the Inspector General's report concluded the government leaks and accusations were baseless and the email content was not improper.[43][44] Nonetheless, the false accusations stated by government officials made Kelley a near-daily feature of the media, creating a sideshow at her family's expense.[45] November 6th, 2013 Kelley penned an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal warning against government surveillance by describing herself as the "human face" of the damage that can be caused by government probing into Americans' personal communications. Since her story, she became an advocate for privacy rights to "prevent her unwarranted tragedy from ever happening to another innocent family."[46]

On June 3, 2013, Kelley filed a privacy lawsuit against the federal government[47] alleging that investigators violated her privacy rights by unlawfully searching her personal emails and disclosing false descriptions of the nature of her emails to the media.[48] In addition, she stated "false and untrue headlines, created a media sideshow" at her expense,[49] including being wrongly implicated in an extramarital affair between Petraeus and Broadwell. In November 2013, Kelley described herself as the "human face" of the damage that can be caused by government probing into communications of law-abiding citizens.[50] As a result of this incident, Kelley has become an advocate for internet privacy and security.[51] According to a lawsuit Kelley and her husband filed against the FBI, Department of Defense and other governmental agencies on June 3, 2013, "[b]y disclosing the contents of the Kelleys' emails, by either directly sharing contents of the emails or making statements suggesting that the content of the emails was lurid, government officials served Mrs. Kelley up on a platter to be devoured in a frenzy of salacious speculation regarding the nature of her relationship with Director Petraeus."[47]

Privacy advocacy

In 2014, she received the support of two U.S. Congressmen to advocate for stronger privacy rights using her story to "bring awareness to the damages that can be caused by government overreach and unwarranted searches of emails[52][53] so that history will not repeat itself, and this never happens to another innocent family again."[54] She has since become a privacy rights advocate and activist for internet security. Her memoir, Collateral Damage: Petraeus, Power, Politics and the Abuse of Privacy[55][56] seeks to bring awareness to the damage that can be caused by government overreach and unwarranted searches.[52][53]

In 2016, Kelly was invited by Yale University's largest undergraduate organization[57] to give a speech on privacy rights and Internet security, and reform and stronger protection on electronic communications.[58] As a guest speaker, Kelley joined a prestigious roster of previous speakers from academia.[57] The New York Times alluded to Jill Kelley as "An Apostle for Privacy".[59]

References
  1. "Socialite Jill Kelley returns to public life after Petraeus scandal". Page Six. December 1, 2013. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
  2. "Jill Kelley--Remember Her?--Plans a Party Wednesday at the Trump Hotel". Washingtonian. November 8, 2017. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  3. "'Bullying': Petraeus friend Jill Kelley professors who pronounced wife uglier than mistress". Washington Examiner. December 19, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  4. Tweedie, Elisabeth (December 15, 2018). "Developments in the 5G Ecosystem". satellitemarkets.com. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  5. Ashley Fantz (October 20, 2020). "The Petraeus Affair: Who is Jill Kelley?". CNN Digital. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  6. "Clinton advisor bashed Jill Kelley in newly released emails". December 1, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  7. Altman, Howard (April 21, 2018). "Clinton advisor bashed Jill Kelley in newly released emails | tbo.com". Archived from the original on April 21, 2018. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  8. Jill Kelley e-mails depict a striving Tampa socialite and a smitten military brass. The Washington Post. Craig Whitlock, February 3, 2015.
  9. Jill Kelley Plans A Party Wednesday at the Trump Hotel to Celebrate Donald Trump’s Victory. The Washingtonian. Elaina Plott, November 8, 2017.
  10. Jill Kelley, key figure in Petraeus scandal, led lavish life Los Angeles Times November 14, 2012
  11. Staff report (October 22, 1993). Philadelphia fans short on memory but long on faith. Philadelphia Inquirer
  12. "Jill Kelley, woman who sparked Petraeus probe, has Philadelphia roots - Philly.com". Articles.philly.com. November 12, 2012. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  13. CTV News, "CTV National News" airdate November 13, 2012
  14. Leger, Donna Leinwand (November 12, 2012) Jill Kelley ID'd as woman who sparked Petraeus inquiry. USA Today
  15. Ward, Vicky (March 2013). "Jill Kelley and Natalie Khawam History - Tampa Society Scandal". Town & Country Magazine. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  16. Laker, Barbara (November 12, 2012). Petraeus email trail has Philly link. philly.com
  17. Jill Kelley's husband Scott is a well-liked and respected surgeon at Lakeland clinic. Tampa Bay Times, Irene Maher. November 14, 2012.
  18. "Jill Kelley - Patents". www.freshpatents.com.
  19. Hooper, Ernest (January 7, 2003). Food and family, bringing in the greens. St. Petersburg Times
  20. Keeler, Janet K. (January 15, 2003). Lights! Camera! Cook! St. Petersburg Times
  21. Scourtes, Mary (January 15, 2003). Tasty Television. The Tampa Tribune
  22. Petraeus friend Jill Kelley found place hosting military parties Tampa Bay Times November 13, 2012
  23. Carol D. Leonnig (November 13, 2012), Jill Kelley: Tampa woman who was hostess to the military The Washington Post
  24. Jill Kelley and Scott Kelley (January 22, 2013). "Jill Kelley on the Petraeus scandal and the loss of privacy". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  25. "Petraeus Scandal: Socialite Jill Kelley Fighting Back". ABC News. November 27, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  26. "Petraeus scandal: Jill Kelley's South Korean link" (Mobile). Christian Science Monitor. November 15, 2012. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  27. "Honorary consuls: A booming trade". The Economist. August 31, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  28. "South Korea to sack Tampa socialite Jill Kelley as honorary consul". nbcnews. November 27, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  29. "David Petraeus: Jill Kelley ousted as honorary consul to South Korea". London: Telegraph.co.uk. November 27, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  30. "Petraeus scandal figure to lose 'honorary consul' title, South Korean official says". CNN. November 26, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  31. "South Korea: Jill Kelley losing honorary consul title". CBS News. November 26, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2013.
  32. "Jill Kelley: Tampa woman was hostess to the military". The Washington Post. November 13, 2012. Archived from the original on February 4, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  33. 11/13/12 6:38pm 11/13/12 6:38pm (November 13, 2012). "Petraeus' Pal Jill Kelley Loaned $800,000 to Her 'Unstable' Twin Sister". Gawker.com. Archived from the original on January 15, 2014. Retrieved April 14, 2014.
  34. Leonnig, Carol D. (November 13, 2012). "Jill Kelley: Tampa woman was hostess to the military". Washington Post.
  35. MacIntosh, Jeane (November 22, 2012). "Jill Kelley awarded prestigious medal from Joint Chiefs in 2011". New York Post. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
  36. Markay, Asawin Suebsaeng,Lachlan (April 19, 2018). "How Corey Lewandowski 'F*cked Over' a David Petraeus-Linked Socialite to Become the Polish Arms Industry's Man in D.C." The Daily Beast. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
  37. Bennett, Jessica (May 28, 2016). "Paula Broadwell, David Petraeus and the Afterlife of a Scandal". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  38. Yost, Pete (September 24, 2013). "Govt seeks dismissal of Petraeus-related lawsuit". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 23, 2014. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  39. Howard Kurtz (August 20, 2013). "Petraeus mistress secretly followed Tampa socialite". Fox News. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
  40. Horwitz, Sari (November 11, 2012). "FBI probe of Petraeus triggered by e-mail threats from biographer, officials say" (Mobile). The Washington Post. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  41. http://tbo.com/list/military-news/feds-wont-revisit-socialite-kelleys-emails-20130703/ Archived January 10, 2014, at the Wayback Machine http://mobile.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/petraeus-scandals-jill-kelley-becomes-a-privacy-champion/%5B%5D
  42. "Petraeus Scandal's Jill Kelley Becomes a Privacy Champion". Businessweek. January 7, 2014. Archived from the original (Mobile) on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  43. "Feds won't revisit socialite Kelley's emails". The Tampa Tribune. July 3, 2013. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  44. Shanker, Thom (January 22, 2013). "Pentagon Clears Commander Over E-Mails". The New York Times.
  45. Steinhauer, Jennifer (January 5, 2014). "From Petraeus Scandal, an Apostle for Privacy". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  46. Kelley, Jill (November 5, 2013). "Jill Kelley: How the Government Spied on Me". Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original (Mobile) on January 10, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  47. "UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA" (PDF). The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 3, 2013.
  48. Valentino, Jennifer (June 3, 2013). "Woman in Petraeus Matter Files Lawsuit". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  49. Investigations. "US officials accused by socialite Jill Kelley of leaks as part of 'smear campaign'". NBC Investigations. Retrieved October 24, 2019.
  50. Kelley, Jill (November 5, 2013). "Jill Kelley: How the Government Spied on Me". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  51. How to Save Privacy, by Petraeus Scandal Casualty Jill Kelley Bloomberg Businessweek April 12, 2013
  52. "2 congressmen have questions in Jill Kelley leak". The Big Story. Archived from the original on December 13, 2014. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  53. "Congressmen have questions for Holder in Jill Kelley leak". TBO.com. April 14, 2014. Archived from the original on September 12, 2018. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  54. Jill Kelley. "I Lost My Privacy. Let's Act to Protect Yours". POLITICO Magazine. Retrieved December 30, 2014.
  55. "CIA Director's Email: 'Something Terrible, Dishonorable'". AP. March 23, 2016. Retrieved December 9, 2016 – via The New York Times.
  56. "Petraeus Scandal's Jill Kelley Becomes a Privacy Champion". Businessweek. January 7, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  57. Howard Altman. Jill Kelley to speak at Yale University student organization. Tampa Bay Times. August 25, 2016.
  58. "Jill Kelley to speak at Yale University student organization". Retrieved December 9, 2016.
  59. Steinhauer, Jennifer (January 5, 2014). "From Petraeus Scandal, an Apostle for Privacy". The New York Times.
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