| Topic: |
Politics > Politics-USA |
| User: |
"MrPepper11" |
| Date: |
31 May 2005 12:53:09 PM |
| Object: |
Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 31, 2005
Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat'
NEW YORK -- A former FBI official claims he was "Deep Throat," the
long-anonymous source who leaked secrets about President Nixon's
Watergate coverup to The Washington Post, Vanity Fair reported Tuesday.
W. Mark Felt, 91, who was second-in-command at the FBI in the early
1970s, kept the secret even from his family until 2002, when he
confided to a friend that he had been Post reporter Bob Woodward's
source, the magazine said.
"I'm the guy they used to call Deep Throat," he told lawyer John D.
O'Connor, the author of the Vanity Fair article, the magazine said in a
news release.
Felt was initially adamant about remaining silent on the subject,
thinking disclosures about his past somehow dishonorable.
"I don't think (being Deep Throat) was anything to be proud of," Felt
indicated to his son, Mark Jr., at one point, according to the article.
"You (should) not leak information to anyone."
Felt is a retiree living in Santa Rosa, Calif., with his daughter,
Joan, the magazine said. He could not immediately be reached for
comment by The Associated Press. His family members disagreed with
their father, feeling that he should receive accolades for his role in
Watergate before his death.
The Washington Post had no immediate comment on the report.
O'Connor is a lawyer at the San Francisco firm Howard, Rice,
Nemerovski, Canady, Falk & Rabkin. A receptionist there said O'Connor
was out of the office but confirmed he was the author of the Vanity
Fair article.
The existence of Deep Throat, nicknamed for a popular porn movie of the
early 1970s, was revealed in Woodward and Carl Bernstein's best-selling
book "All the President's Men." In the hit movie based on the book,
Deep Throat was played by Hal Holbrook.
But his identity of the source whose disclosures helped bring down the
Nixon presidency remained a mystery.
Among those named over the years as Deep Throat were Assistant Attorney
General Henry Peterson, deputy White House counsel Fred Fielding, and
even ABC newswoman Diane Sawyer, who then worked in the White House
press office. Ron Zeigler, Nixon's press secretary, White House aide
Steven Bull, speechwriters Ray Price and Pat Buchanan, and John Dean,
the White House counsel who warned Nixon of "a cancer growing on the
presidency," also were considered candidates.
And some theorized Deep Throat wasn't a single source at all but a
composite figure.
In 1999, Felt denied he was the man.
"I would have done better," Felt told The Hartford Courant. "I would
have been more effective. Deep Throat didn't exactly bring the White
House crashing down, did he?"
In 2003, Woodward and Bernstein reached an agreement to keep their
Watergate papers at the University of Texas at Austin.
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| User: "rick++" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
01 Jun 2005 03:12:23 PM |
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Does this mean we can finally stop adding "-gate"
on the end of every scandal? :-)
[ I did hear "toilet-gate" used last week for GITMO. ]
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| User: "Bert Hyman" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
31 May 2005 06:07:39 PM |
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In news:1117561989.013575.76000@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com "MrPepper11"
<MrPepper11@go.com> wrote:
W. Mark Felt, 91, who was second-in-command at the FBI in the early
1970s, kept the secret even from his family until 2002, when he
confided to a friend that he had been Post reporter Bob Woodward's
source, the magazine said.
That's really troubling; the guy was second in command of the FBI, has
detailed and personal knowledge of crimes committed at the highest level,
and what does he do?
He makes selective, anonymous leaks to a newspaper.
What didn't he tell them?
--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN bert@iphouse.com
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| User: "Norma" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
31 May 2005 07:22:59 PM |
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"Bert Hyman" <> wrote in message
news:Xns9667B88BA9BF5VeebleFetzer@216.250.184.7...
In news:1117561989.013575.76000@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com "MrPepper11"
<MrPepper11@go.com> wrote:
W. Mark Felt, 91, who was second-in-command at the FBI in the early
1970s, kept the secret even from his family until 2002, when he
confided to a friend that he had been Post reporter Bob Woodward's
source, the magazine said.
That's really troubling; the guy was second in command of the FBI, has
detailed and personal knowledge of crimes committed at the highest level,
and what does he do?
He makes selective, anonymous leaks to a newspaper.
What didn't he tell them?
--
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN
Actually if proven, it could be charged as criminal in some way or another.
There is not concurrence that it is true, as he has had a stroke and his
memory isn't good. We will see. I'm sure not will be done in any case,
but...
Norma
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| User: "urillan" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
01 Jun 2005 03:13:22 PM |
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Actually he (Felt) was fulfilling his obligation to the people. As an
FBI agent (well, he wasn't an agent, exactly), he KNOWS that his
organization can NOT carry out an investigation. In fact, his
suspicions on that level were demonstrably proven (remember Nixon told
people to FIRE the investigator, and those who didn't were fired or
forced to resign UNTIL the investigator was fired.
So, the "troubling" part was NOT that Nixon breached every confidence
that an elected leader has and also tried to impeach and destroy all
those who would defend themselves or who would try to bring the truth
to light BUT you think it's troubling that someone did the RIGHT thing
to correct a perverted skewing of the system of Checks And Balances
that protects those in power and permits abuses to run rampantly
against those who were most in need of protection against them.
The Supreme Court did put their imprimateur on the public's right to
know about the Pentagon Papers, right? Nixon hated that so he used
patently illegal means to punish suspected sources.
If we paint Felt as a snitch or anything other than a hero, then their
can be no manner of construct which would safeguard our peoples against
future abuses, for there'd be no source of complaints. The Felt people
(people who KNEW what was going on) would be termed snitches and
probably prevented by "legal" though immoral means from testifying.
The people who had mere pieces of the puzzle would be alienated and
disenfranchised by corrupt governmental (or quasi-governmental
agencies).
It's only happened under every administration since Nixon (heck, since
Eisenhower, Kennedy, Taft... I can't go back far enough).
The only avenue of recourse for such allegations MUST be the public.
It's the only means by which ANY impeachment can be initiated. It's
the manner by which all impeachments have been carried forth, and must
therefore demonstrate and justify the moral legitimacy of such
protected proclamations.
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| User: "Jerry Okamura" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
01 Jun 2005 03:46:03 PM |
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I think I would have had a little more respect for this snitch, if he was
willing to do a Daniel Ellsberg, i.e. put his name behind the source. The
way he did it was to hide behind annomity, thereby protecting his job.
"urillan" <urillan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1117656802.366636.260610@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
Actually he (Felt) was fulfilling his obligation to the people. As an
FBI agent (well, he wasn't an agent, exactly), he KNOWS that his
organization can NOT carry out an investigation. In fact, his
suspicions on that level were demonstrably proven (remember Nixon told
people to FIRE the investigator, and those who didn't were fired or
forced to resign UNTIL the investigator was fired.
So, the "troubling" part was NOT that Nixon breached every confidence
that an elected leader has and also tried to impeach and destroy all
those who would defend themselves or who would try to bring the truth
to light BUT you think it's troubling that someone did the RIGHT thing
to correct a perverted skewing of the system of Checks And Balances
that protects those in power and permits abuses to run rampantly
against those who were most in need of protection against them.
The Supreme Court did put their imprimateur on the public's right to
know about the Pentagon Papers, right? Nixon hated that so he used
patently illegal means to punish suspected sources.
If we paint Felt as a snitch or anything other than a hero, then their
can be no manner of construct which would safeguard our peoples against
future abuses, for there'd be no source of complaints. The Felt people
(people who KNEW what was going on) would be termed snitches and
probably prevented by "legal" though immoral means from testifying.
The people who had mere pieces of the puzzle would be alienated and
disenfranchised by corrupt governmental (or quasi-governmental
agencies).
It's only happened under every administration since Nixon (heck, since
Eisenhower, Kennedy, Taft... I can't go back far enough).
The only avenue of recourse for such allegations MUST be the public.
It's the only means by which ANY impeachment can be initiated. It's
the manner by which all impeachments have been carried forth, and must
therefore demonstrate and justify the moral legitimacy of such
protected proclamations.
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| User: "Bert Hyman" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
01 Jun 2005 03:51:19 PM |
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(Jerry Okamura) wrote in
news:f8pne.15514$h86.12671@tornado.socal.rr.com:
I think I would have had a little more respect for this snitch, if
he was willing to do a Daniel Ellsberg, i.e. put his name behind
the source. The way he did it was to hide behind annomity, thereby
protecting his job.
We also have no way of knowing (at this date anyway) what else he
knew that he didn't reveal.
I think it's cute that his family is already making excuses about his
failing memory, so don't expect any new information.
"urillan" <urillan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1117656802.366636.260610@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...
Actually he (Felt) was fulfilling his obligation to the people.
As an FBI agent (well, he wasn't an agent, exactly), he KNOWS that
his organization can NOT carry out an investigation. In fact, his
suspicions on that level were demonstrably proven (remember Nixon
told people to FIRE the investigator, and those who didn't were
fired or forced to resign UNTIL the investigator was fired.
So, the "troubling" part was NOT that Nixon breached every
confidence that an elected leader has and also tried to impeach
and destroy all those who would defend themselves or who would try
to bring the truth to light BUT you think it's troubling that
someone did the RIGHT thing to correct a perverted skewing of the
system of Checks And Balances that protects those in power and
permits abuses to run rampantly against those who were most in
need of protection against them.
The Supreme Court did put their imprimateur on the public's right
to know about the Pentagon Papers, right? Nixon hated that so he
used patently illegal means to punish suspected sources.
If we paint Felt as a snitch or anything other than a hero, then
their can be no manner of construct which would safeguard our
peoples against future abuses, for there'd be no source of
complaints. The Felt people (people who KNEW what was going on)
would be termed snitches and probably prevented by "legal" though
immoral means from testifying. The people who had mere pieces of
the puzzle would be alienated and disenfranchised by corrupt
governmental (or quasi-governmental agencies).
It's only happened under every administration since Nixon (heck,
since Eisenhower, Kennedy, Taft... I can't go back far enough).
The only avenue of recourse for such allegations MUST be the
public. It's the only means by which ANY impeachment can be
initiated. It's the manner by which all impeachments have been
carried forth, and must therefore demonstrate and justify the
moral legitimacy of such protected proclamations.
--
Bert Hyman | St. Paul, MN |
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| User: "urillan" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
02 Jun 2005 10:35:25 AM |
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I see your reasoning, and even see benign logic in the reasoning, I
will have to kind of disagree on a few points (some of which still
prevail as mitigating factors, even today).
Wait, Daniel Ellsberg was anonymous too. Actually he tried to get his
information to the US Senate (because they (US Senators) are
effectively immune from prosecution from any statements or actions on
the floor), but since there was no senator that would bite to that
offer, Ellsberg went to the New York Times, which didn't acknowledge
him by name as the source.
Nixon had pulled severe strings to determine who the leak was (despite
the fact that the information was not demonstrably sensitive in a
"peril or jeopardy" of either life nor livelihood nature).
I respect the leaks if the information is timely, and / or accurate. I
don't care if the information source is biased.
If the source comes out and provides their own name, as Daniel Ellsberg
might have done back then, then the government would have squashed his
credibility, career, had him arrested so he couldn't confirm nor
testify as to accuracy. The Nixon (and most other administrations) had
vested interests and lengthy records of taking extreme diligence in
destroying "hostile witnesses and their supporters"...
If you throw a grenade into the enemy foxhole, then there is no further
need to fall on your own sword. Noble sacrifices are chivalrous, but
one must choose their fights. Felt did the right thing by honouring
his duty to the US Constitution, and by exposing to criminal justice
those who clearly violated the US Constitution (those to whom he had NO
obligation, implied nor otherwise).
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| User: "Jerry Okamura" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
02 Jun 2005 01:17:11 PM |
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"urillan" <urillan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1117726525.104710.70880@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
I see your reasoning, and even see benign logic in the reasoning, I
will have to kind of disagree on a few points (some of which still
prevail as mitigating factors, even today).
Wait, Daniel Ellsberg was anonymous too. Actually he tried to get his
information to the US Senate (because they (US Senators) are
effectively immune from prosecution from any statements or actions on
the floor), but since there was no senator that would bite to that
offer, Ellsberg went to the New York Times, which didn't acknowledge
him by name as the source.
Nixon had pulled severe strings to determine who the leak was (despite
the fact that the information was not demonstrably sensitive in a
"peril or jeopardy" of either life nor livelihood nature).
I respect the leaks if the information is timely, and / or accurate. I
don't care if the information source is biased.
If the source comes out and provides their own name, as Daniel Ellsberg
might have done back then, then the government would have squashed his
credibility, career, had him arrested so he couldn't confirm nor
testify as to accuracy. The Nixon (and most other administrations) had
vested interests and lengthy records of taking extreme diligence in
destroying "hostile witnesses and their supporters"...
If you throw a grenade into the enemy foxhole, then there is no further
need to fall on your own sword. Noble sacrifices are chivalrous, but
one must choose their fights. Felt did the right thing by honouring
his duty to the US Constitution, and by exposing to criminal justice
those who clearly violated the US Constitution (those to whom he had NO
obligation, implied nor otherwise).
Then how do we know that Daniel Ellsberg was the one who leaked the Pentagon
papers?
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| User: "urillan" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
02 Jun 2005 10:45:06 AM |
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Nixon's Watergate incident was Nixon searching a psychologists /
psychiatrists office for files that could be used against Ellsberg. In
that way, Nixon is justifying the "leak" as a credible tool.
In fact, Nixon ordered the assassination of Daniel Ellsberg (May 3rd,
1972) by Cuban Assets (later cancelled). Nixon was sending the message
to the country that if you oppose him, he will destroy your
credibility, your finances and will kill you. Nixon had tried to
destroy American democracy by any means necessary. ( that should have
been at the end of my most recent reply).
Mark Felt knew that...
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| User: "Rich Travsky " |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
05 Jun 2005 02:10:34 AM |
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Docky Wocky wrote:
urillan sez:
"... Nixon was sending the message
to the country that if you oppose him, he will destroy your
credibility, your finances and will kill you..."
____________________________
Wasn't that Hillary?
Nope, it was republicons.
RT
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| User: "Jean Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
03 Jun 2005 05:50:06 PM |
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In article <KYPne.20172$tv3.9684@trnddc06>,
"Docky Wocky" <mrchuck@lst.net> wrote:
urillan sez:
"... Nixon was sending the message
to the country that if you oppose him, he will destroy your
credibility, your finances and will kill you..."
____________________________
Wasn't that Hillary?
Let's see the support for that.
--
110th Labour to keep alive in your Breast that Little Spark of Celestial fire
Called Conscience http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/manners/rules2.cfm
http://tinyurl.com/cf2u5 | Society's Disasterous
Decisions http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/diamond03/diamond_index.html
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| User: "ElaineJ" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
01 Jun 2005 07:35:35 AM |
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Bert Hyman wrote:
In news:1117561989.013575.76000@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com "MrPepper11"
<MrPepper11@go.com> wrote:
W. Mark Felt, 91, who was second-in-command at the FBI in the early
1970s, kept the secret even from his family until 2002, when he
confided to a friend that he had been Post reporter Bob Woodward's
source, the magazine said.
That's really troubling; the guy was second in command of the FBI, has
detailed and personal knowledge of crimes committed at the highest level,
and what does he do?
He makes selective, anonymous leaks to a newspaper.
What didn't he tell them?
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN bert@iphouse.com
He didn't tell them because he was a clever, experienced man who knew
that if _he_ told them, then _he_ would become the subject of
controversy, instead of the lice who worked for Nixon. Instead he
passed just enough information to people smart and tough enough to do
something with it.
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| User: "Jerry Okamura" |
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| Title: Re: Former FBI Official Says He Was Watergate's 'Deep Throat' |
01 Jun 2005 02:13:13 PM |
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"ElaineJ" <demeter547opine@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1117629334.983867.166300@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
Bert Hyman wrote:
In news:1117561989.013575.76000@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com "MrPepper11"
<MrPepper11@go.com> wrote:
W. Mark Felt, 91, who was second-in-command at the FBI in the early
1970s, kept the secret even from his family until 2002, when he
confided to a friend that he had been Post reporter Bob Woodward's
source, the magazine said.
That's really troubling; the guy was second in command of the FBI, has
detailed and personal knowledge of crimes committed at the highest level,
and what does he do?
He makes selective, anonymous leaks to a newspaper.
What didn't he tell them?
Bert Hyman St. Paul, MN
He didn't tell them because he was a clever, experienced man who knew
that if _he_ told them, then _he_ would become the subject of
controversy, instead of the lice who worked for Nixon. Instead he
passed just enough information to people smart and tough enough to do
something with it.
Of, he didn't want his dirty fingers all over the story? Or perhaps he
didn't want to lose his job for revealing what he knew?
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