Leak : why Mark Felt became Deep Throat / Max Holland.

9780700618293 (alk. paper)
0700618295 (alk. paper)

Lawrence, Kan. : University Press of Kansas, c2012.

English

xiii, 285 p. ; 25 cm.

E860 .H65 2012

973.924092 B

Through the shadowy persona of 'Deep Throat', FBI official Mark Felt became as famous as the Watergate scandal his 'leaks' helped uncover. Felt was regarded for decades as a conscientious but highly secretive whistleblower who shunned the limelight. Yet even after he finally revealed his identity in 2005, questions about his true motivations persisted. The author critiques all the theories of Felt's motivation that have circulated over the years, including notions that Felt had been genuinely upset by White House law-breaking or had tried to defend and insulate the FBI from the machinations of President Nixon and his Watergate henchmen. The author then reveals for the first time in detail what truly motivated the FBI's number-two executive to become the most fabled secret source in American history. He showcases the many twists and turns to Felt's story that are not widely known, revealing not a selfless official acting out of altruistic patriotism, but rather a career bureaucrat with his very own private agenda. Drawing on interviews, oral histories, FBI Watergate files, papers of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force, presidential tape recordings, and other Watergate-related papers, this book sheds new light on both Felt's motivations and the complex and often problematic relationship between the press and government officials. Fast-paced and scrupulously fact-checked, this book resolves the mystery residing at the heart of Mark Felt's actions. By doing so, it radically revises our understanding of America's most famous presidential scandal. -- from Book Jacket

Includes bibliographical references and index.

On-Campus Resources > Books
All Resources