For the record, I’m not terribly surprised by the news that Jill Kelley has lost her special “Friends” access to MacDill Air Force base. She has become downright embarrassing to several Generals and the military more generally. So you can’t have her waltzing on and off the base anymore.
A Defense official confirms to ABC News that Kelley participated in a base program known as the “Friends of MacDill” where she was placed on a master list that allowed her to clear security when entering the base.
A person must be nominated to enter the program, and must pass a background check by the wing’s security office. The official did not know who nominated Kelley for the program.
The Defense official said Kelley’s privileges under the program have been taken away “as she is involved in an ongoing investigation.”
But that explanation–an ongoing investigation–is rather curious.
Perhaps DOD is saying that the investigation that started in the last week when DOD got emails between John Allen and Kelley in relation to his confirmation constitute the “ongoing investigation.” That investigation just started, and so she just lost access.
But if Kelley represents a potential security threat–as she might–then somebody had the responsibility to make sure she stopped waltzing on and off the base months ago.
I’m pretty sympathetic with the premise that FBI shouldn’t brief Congress in ongoing panty-sniffing investigations. But either Kelley is a threat, and the threat she represented was identified months ago. Or she’s not a threat, and they’re just suspending her access because she’s an embarrassment.