I have no idea what the facts are about the FBI investigation that led to the Petraeus resignation. I also do not know the details behind the investigation of the Benghazi Attack. However, I had the experience of investigation an extremely political issue just prior to a Presidential election. I was asked by CIA Director George Tenet to run the investigation of Iraq WMD in 2004–an election year. Among the earliest decisions I took were two that I feel to this day were critical. One, that I would have an detailed and completely declassified report. The Intelligence Community was attacked on all sides for everything and I did not want the public to thing there was hidden data or assessments lurking in any secret annex. It was a tough thing to get done in the bureaucracy, but I got the entire report and supporting data declassified and published. I would note that the White House supported this decision.

The second early decision I made was that I would complete the investigation and issue a comprehensive report the total picture of Iraq’s WMD–past, present, and future–before the election. I made this clear to the White House from the start. Our team was expending a lot of resources and, indeed, lives, to gather the data. It was a critical issue that had been at the heart of wars in the region on multiple ocassions. I did not want the report to be vulnerable to criticised for being in any way a political document–and it would have if I had let the work slide until after the election in November 2004. Here, again, the White House at the most senior levels, did not dispute my approach. I am convinced to this day that these decisions were the best for all concerned–whether they were politicians or not.

The track record evident to the public so far in both the FBI/Petraeus case and the Benghazi case look like incrementally bad decisions. It certainly appears that either explicit or implicit concerns about getting past the election played a role. It does not appear that anyone determined that they needed to conclude or report anything–even in a status report–before the election. Truth and credibility are in short short supply in Washington–particularly around elections. It is a shame to see intelligence and law enforcement arms of the government look increasingly political–even if they have explanations.