Shirtless Photo of FBI Agent a Joke, Not Improper Conduct
Agent Attempts to Clear His Name in Shirtless Photo Controversy
The FBI agent that was roped into the ever-growing scandal involving Gen. David Petraeus and his biographer has declared his topless photo a joke. He sent it to a military liaison, but claims it was done is jest and was not improper conduct.
FBI Special Agent Frederick Humphries reportedly sent the pictures to several colleagues as a joke, but with new developments occurring on a daily basis, his actual intention has yet to be determined.
The photo, first published in The Seattle Times, shows Humphries posing shirtless between two bare-chested gun range dummies. It was reported that the joke stemmed from the resemblance that Humphries had to the gun range targets.
Humphries became involved in the scandal when Jill Kelley, a Florida socialite who organized events at MacDill Air Force Base, reached out to him and made him aware that she was the recipient of menacing emails.
During the subsequent investigation, the FBI discovered that the emails had been sent by Paula Broadwell, and it was uncovered that she had been engaging in an extramarital affair with Gen. Petraeus.
The controversy ensued after the sudden resignation by Gen. Petraeus as director of the CIA. Various members of Congress called for independent investigations to determine if any illegal activity had transpired.
Humphries contacted U.S. Representative Dave Reichert over concerns about the investigation into the emails, but it was put aside due to a political conflict, according to a New York Times report.
After the publication of the picture, it became known that Humphries was under an internal investigation by the FBI. It was reported that he had a personal interest in the ongoing investigation.
"But two sources said Humphries decided to go outside the bureau when his concerns about the progress of the investigation- which he believed involved national security- were met with an internal investigation into a shirtless photograph of Humphries found in Kelley's email," The Seattle Times reported.
Gen. Petraeus is scheduled to speak during a congressional hearing on Friday to determine if any classified documents or national security measures were disclosed during the course of the affair.