FELT, Mark

FELT, Mark (b. Aug. 17, 1913, Twin Falls, Idaho, U.S.—d. Dec. 18, 2008, Santa Rosa, Calif., U.S.), American FBI official who served as Associate Director under J. Edgar Hoover and later revealed himself as “Deep Throat,” the anonymous source who provided information to Washington Post reporters investigating the Watergate scandal.

Felt joined the FBI in 1942 after graduating from George Washington University Law School, rising through the ranks during his 31-year career with the Bureau. He specialized in domestic security investigations, working on cases involving organized crime, espionage, and domestic terrorism during the Cold War era.

As Hoover’s second-in-command from 1971 until the director’s death in May 1972, Felt was considered a leading candidate to succeed him. When Nixon instead appointed L. Patrick Gray as acting director, Felt became disgruntled with the administration’s attempts to politicize FBI operations and limit the Watergate investigation.

Beginning in June 1972, Felt began secretly meeting with Washington Post reporter Bob Woodward in underground parking garages and other clandestine locations, confirming information and providing guidance for the newspaper’s Watergate investigation. Woodward and Carl Bernstein protected their source’s identity using the code name “Deep Throat,” a reference to the pornographic film title.

Felt’s motivations for becoming Deep Throat included protecting FBI independence from White House interference, ensuring proper investigation of the Watergate break-in, and possibly personal resentment over being passed over for FBI director. His leaks helped sustain media pressure that ultimately led to Nixon’s resignation in August 1974.

For over three decades, Deep Throat’s identity remained one of Washington’s greatest mysteries, with speculation focusing on various government officials, including Felt, but without definitive proof. Felt consistently denied being the source when asked directly by reporters and investigators, maintaining his cover even after retirement.

In May 2005, at age 91 and suffering from dementia, Felt revealed his identity in a Vanity Fair article titled “I’m the Guy They Called Deep Throat.” His family confirmed the revelation, though some questioned whether his mental condition affected the reliability of his confession.

Woodward subsequently confirmed Felt’s identity and provided detailed accounts of their meetings in his book “The Secret Man” (2005). The revelation ended decades of speculation while raising new questions about Felt’s methods and the ethics of government officials leaking information to the press.

Felt’s role as Deep Throat transformed him from a little-known government bureaucrat into a significant historical figure, representing the complex relationship between government accountability, press freedom, and official secrecy. His actions demonstrated how insider sources can expose government corruption while raising questions about proper channels for addressing official misconduct.