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| Petraeus scandal: Jill Kelley and the Tampa society set | Petraeus scandal: Jill Kelley and the Tampa society set |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| "No, no, NO!" says an august member of the Tampa Historical Society, who, on mention of Jill Kelley's name, emits a scream down the phone. | "No, no, NO!" says an august member of the Tampa Historical Society, who, on mention of Jill Kelley's name, emits a scream down the phone. |
| "NO," she says, as I persist with the question. "This is not who we are. I won't talk about it. I WON'T be tainted." | "NO," she says, as I persist with the question. "This is not who we are. I won't talk about it. I WON'T be tainted." |
| Recovering, she recommends a good place for lunch. This is the American south, after all. | Recovering, she recommends a good place for lunch. This is the American south, after all. |
| This is the tangible effect of the David Petraeus scandal on society in Tampa, a balmy resort city in western Florida. Tampa has become the focus of the affair because it is home to Jill Kelley, the socialite whose circle encompassed not only the Petraeuses, but General John Allen, Petraeus's successor in Afghanistan, an FBI agent identified as Frederick Humphries II, and a community now scrambling to distance itself from the story. | This is the tangible effect of the David Petraeus scandal on society in Tampa, a balmy resort city in western Florida. Tampa has become the focus of the affair because it is home to Jill Kelley, the socialite whose circle encompassed not only the Petraeuses, but General John Allen, Petraeus's successor in Afghanistan, an FBI agent identified as Frederick Humphries II, and a community now scrambling to distance itself from the story. |
| Tampa social life also provided what all parties must now consider a regrettable photo – of Holly and David Petraeus standing with the Kelleys at a party at their house, bedecked in beads, the general looking, out of uniform, disconcertingly stoop-shouldered and unmartial. This image has come to symbolise the poor judgment that would bring down Petraeus, forced to resign when news emerged of his affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell (below). | Tampa social life also provided what all parties must now consider a regrettable photo – of Holly and David Petraeus standing with the Kelleys at a party at their house, bedecked in beads, the general looking, out of uniform, disconcertingly stoop-shouldered and unmartial. This image has come to symbolise the poor judgment that would bring down Petraeus, forced to resign when news emerged of his affair with his biographer, Paula Broadwell (below). |
| For the hosts, the party must have represented the pinnacle of a campaign to establish themselves at the heart of the social swirl that centres on the MacDill air force base in Tampa, a milieu of wealthy business people, aspiring politicians, four-star generals and anyone with the chutzpah – and credit, until it ran out – to put on a good show. Even when it fell apart, it would rival even Tom Wolfe's powers of manic exaggeration. | For the hosts, the party must have represented the pinnacle of a campaign to establish themselves at the heart of the social swirl that centres on the MacDill air force base in Tampa, a milieu of wealthy business people, aspiring politicians, four-star generals and anyone with the chutzpah – and credit, until it ran out – to put on a good show. Even when it fell apart, it would rival even Tom Wolfe's powers of manic exaggeration. |
| In the streets around the Kelley house, the trees hang with Spanish moss, the elegant properties protected with preservation orders. The Kelleys moved to the Hyde Park North neighbourhood 10 years ago from the north-east US when Scott Kelley got a job at a cancer clinic in Tampa. Their house was empty when I visited, a single Mercedes in the drive, although Jill Kelley, 37, was seen at an upper window the previous day, looking down at the camera crews like a better dressed version of the Woman in Black. She promptly called 911, describing herself, in a gift to news teams, as "an honorary consul general, so I have involability [sic] … I don't know if you want to get diplomatic protection involved as well." | In the streets around the Kelley house, the trees hang with Spanish moss, the elegant properties protected with preservation orders. The Kelleys moved to the Hyde Park North neighbourhood 10 years ago from the north-east US when Scott Kelley got a job at a cancer clinic in Tampa. Their house was empty when I visited, a single Mercedes in the drive, although Jill Kelley, 37, was seen at an upper window the previous day, looking down at the camera crews like a better dressed version of the Woman in Black. She promptly called 911, describing herself, in a gift to news teams, as "an honorary consul general, so I have involability [sic] … I don't know if you want to get diplomatic protection involved as well." |
| Honorary consul | Honorary consul |
| Kelly is an honorary consul general, appointed, bafflingly, by the South Koreans, who are now busily reviewing the honorific. Other choice details include the fact she has a problematic twin sister; she is married to Scott Kelley, a doctor; and they bought their home for $1.5m in 2004. As well as three children, they have nine open lawsuits, brought by various banks and credit card companies trying to recover their assets. | Kelly is an honorary consul general, appointed, bafflingly, by the South Koreans, who are now busily reviewing the honorific. Other choice details include the fact she has a problematic twin sister; she is married to Scott Kelley, a doctor; and they bought their home for $1.5m in 2004. As well as three children, they have nine open lawsuits, brought by various banks and credit card companies trying to recover their assets. |
| They throw parties which generals from the air base attend, some of whom lose their heads and enter into email correspondence with Kelley that would sit better in a story about teenage sexting. For her part, Broadwell appears to have been jealous of Kelley's social relationship with Petraeus. Broadwell sent anonymous emails to Kelley demanding that she back off; Kelley went to her friend, the FBI agent, setting off the investigation that brought Petraeus down. None of which answers the broader question: who on Earth are these people and what is exactly their deal? | They throw parties which generals from the air base attend, some of whom lose their heads and enter into email correspondence with Kelley that would sit better in a story about teenage sexting. For her part, Broadwell appears to have been jealous of Kelley's social relationship with Petraeus. Broadwell sent anonymous emails to Kelley demanding that she back off; Kelley went to her friend, the FBI agent, setting off the investigation that brought Petraeus down. None of which answers the broader question: who on Earth are these people and what is exactly their deal? |
| The neighbours aren't saying. "Do you live here, ma'am?" asks a photographer as I approach the house, giving me his best head-boy smile before turning away in disgust; he has just squandered A-grade civility on a journalist. | The neighbours aren't saying. "Do you live here, ma'am?" asks a photographer as I approach the house, giving me his best head-boy smile before turning away in disgust; he has just squandered A-grade civility on a journalist. |
| There is a clue in the local press. Shortly after arriving in Florida, the Kelleys were pictured in Tampa Bay Magazine, a monthly glossy with a Tatler-style gossip column, standing chummily with their new neighbours. | There is a clue in the local press. Shortly after arriving in Florida, the Kelleys were pictured in Tampa Bay Magazine, a monthly glossy with a Tatler-style gossip column, standing chummily with their new neighbours. |
| "The Tampa social scene is like [Washington] DC," says Aaron Fodiman, editor of the Tampa Bay Magazine. "People develop affinities for different groups. There are those in Tampa who become friendly with, for example, visiting conductors who come to the orchestras here. There are the politicians. There are different niches of celebrity, influence and power. It's just the way the world works." | "The Tampa social scene is like [Washington] DC," says Aaron Fodiman, editor of the Tampa Bay Magazine. "People develop affinities for different groups. There are those in Tampa who become friendly with, for example, visiting conductors who come to the orchestras here. There are the politicians. There are different niches of celebrity, influence and power. It's just the way the world works." |
| Top brass | Top brass |
| Arguably the most glamorous set in Tampa is top brass at MacDill, particularly after 9/11, when the community felt proud to host US central command. For gravitas, for sheer national importance, who wouldn't want the man who ran the war in Afghanistan in their social circle? A friendship was born between Kelley and Petraeus, as were friendships between Kelley and Allen; and Kelley and the rogue FBI agent whose snooping into Petraeus' emails brought the whole circuit crashing down. | Arguably the most glamorous set in Tampa is top brass at MacDill, particularly after 9/11, when the community felt proud to host US central command. For gravitas, for sheer national importance, who wouldn't want the man who ran the war in Afghanistan in their social circle? A friendship was born between Kelley and Petraeus, as were friendships between Kelley and Allen; and Kelley and the rogue FBI agent whose snooping into Petraeus' emails brought the whole circuit crashing down. |
| That party of the Kelleys has come to encapsulate the scene, the Petraeuses arriving with a 28-cop motorcycle escort, heavily flanked by security who, according to reports at the time and in contention for best supporting detail of the entire saga, were required at some point to Taser another guest. | That party of the Kelleys has come to encapsulate the scene, the Petraeuses arriving with a 28-cop motorcycle escort, heavily flanked by security who, according to reports at the time and in contention for best supporting detail of the entire saga, were required at some point to Taser another guest. |
| Fodiman, at the party in his role as chronicler of the social scene, is inclined to defend the Kelleys from accusations of vulgarity. "It's one day," he says. "It's like Mardi Gras. It's an anomaly." | Fodiman, at the party in his role as chronicler of the social scene, is inclined to defend the Kelleys from accusations of vulgarity. "It's one day," he says. "It's like Mardi Gras. It's an anomaly." |
| The question still remains: how did Kelley, operating on fewer resourcesthan her millionaire rivals and with no particular social capital (she grew up in Philadelphia, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants who ran a Middle Eastern restaurant) attract the best guests and so decisively keep them? Not only keep them but, in the case of both Petraeus and Allen, get them, for example, to lend their names as character witnesses in her twin sister's custody case, a woman described by the judge as having offered "misrepresentations about virtually everything"? | The question still remains: how did Kelley, operating on fewer resourcesthan her millionaire rivals and with no particular social capital (she grew up in Philadelphia, the daughter of Lebanese immigrants who ran a Middle Eastern restaurant) attract the best guests and so decisively keep them? Not only keep them but, in the case of both Petraeus and Allen, get them, for example, to lend their names as character witnesses in her twin sister's custody case, a woman described by the judge as having offered "misrepresentations about virtually everything"? |
| At the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, there are theories, most of them about the voodoo art of self-promotion. "People here live good lives but don't need to be advertising it on a regular basis," says one of several committee members, after emitting a dry chuckle at mention of Jill and Scott Kelley. "These were people more inclined to be in the headlines. I'm not judging." | At the Tampa Yacht and Country Club, there are theories, most of them about the voodoo art of self-promotion. "People here live good lives but don't need to be advertising it on a regular basis," says one of several committee members, after emitting a dry chuckle at mention of Jill and Scott Kelley. "These were people more inclined to be in the headlines. I'm not judging." |
| "I don't know those folks," says another. There is a long pause. "We've been here for 105 years." | "I don't know those folks," says another. There is a long pause. "We've been here for 105 years." |
| 'Silicone attitude' | 'Silicone attitude' |
| "These types of things are all fuelled by alcohol," says Laurie Hicks, the wife of a retired wing commander living in Tampa and veteran of the circuit, who characterises Jill Kelley as "silicone implants, silicone attitude", and Paula Broadwell as "a foolish twit". She says loftily: "A more usual military-civilian liaison person would be, say, the governor of Massachusetts. Not the wife of a surgeon." | "These types of things are all fuelled by alcohol," says Laurie Hicks, the wife of a retired wing commander living in Tampa and veteran of the circuit, who characterises Jill Kelley as "silicone implants, silicone attitude", and Paula Broadwell as "a foolish twit". She says loftily: "A more usual military-civilian liaison person would be, say, the governor of Massachusetts. Not the wife of a surgeon." |
| "You've come to the one place that doesn't give a rat's ass," sniffs a nail technician putting the finishing touches to a customer's nails, a five-minute walk from the Kelley house. She turns to her colleague: "Did you hear she called 911? Doesn't that just say it all?" | "You've come to the one place that doesn't give a rat's ass," sniffs a nail technician putting the finishing touches to a customer's nails, a five-minute walk from the Kelley house. She turns to her colleague: "Did you hear she called 911? Doesn't that just say it all?" |
| The women sigh. "Do you think Hillary Clinton will ever be involved in a sex scandal?" | The women sigh. "Do you think Hillary Clinton will ever be involved in a sex scandal?" |
| It's not complicated, says Fodiman, who can't see what the fuss is about. "She is charming, lovely, a fun person at the party. We're told not to judge a book by it's cover, but you know: it's a very nice cover." | It's not complicated, says Fodiman, who can't see what the fuss is about. "She is charming, lovely, a fun person at the party. We're told not to judge a book by it's cover, but you know: it's a very nice cover." |
| Miriam Leyva, who has for years done Kelley's hair, won't hear a word against her: "I have nothing negative to say about her. Terrific husband, very nice guy. Cute girls. And she's friendly. A bubbly personality." | Miriam Leyva, who has for years done Kelley's hair, won't hear a word against her: "I have nothing negative to say about her. Terrific husband, very nice guy. Cute girls. And she's friendly. A bubbly personality." |
| Before all this blew up, did she think of her as a local celebrity? "In a way, yes. I knew they had a big house on Bayshore. I knew they were involved in all these parties. I knew she knew people in the military." | Before all this blew up, did she think of her as a local celebrity? "In a way, yes. I knew they had a big house on Bayshore. I knew they were involved in all these parties. I knew she knew people in the military." |
| How did she know that? "She would mention it. She would take a phone call and say, oh, you know: that was so-and-so." | How did she know that? "She would mention it. She would take a phone call and say, oh, you know: that was so-and-so." |
| Of course. And on the other side of the scandal, what accounts for the men who attract so much less opprobrium than the women? | Of course. And on the other side of the scandal, what accounts for the men who attract so much less opprobrium than the women? |
| "Guys are all the same," says the client having her nails done, a lifelong resident of Tampa who explains that "old money" in this town means going three generations back. She smiles. "No matter how big and important they are, they still need their egos stroked." | "Guys are all the same," says the client having her nails done, a lifelong resident of Tampa who explains that "old money" in this town means going three generations back. She smiles. "No matter how big and important they are, they still need their egos stroked." |
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