Mark Felt's Biography

In 2005 it was revealed that Mark Felt was Deep Throat, the anonymous source who leaked information about Watergate leading to the resignation of Richard Nixon in 1974. Woodward and Bernstein, who were the journalists responsible for breaking the story kept the identity of their source confidential for over 30 years.

Mark Felt was a deputy head of the FBI and was responsible for investigating the Watergate burglary.

At the time of the revelation that he was Deep Throat, Mark Felt was 91. He was born in Idaho in 1913, the son of a building contractor, and was educated at the University of Idaho and George Washington University Law School. He was admitted to the bar in the District of Columbia and worked at the Federal Trade Commission.

Mark Felt joined the FBI in January 1942. In July 1971, Felt was promoted to number three in the FBI. Effectively he was the day-to-day manager of all FBI matters as his immediate superior was ill. In 1978 he was indicted on charges of authorising illegal break-ins during the Nixon administration. Although convicted in 1980, Felt was pardoned soon afterwards by President Reagan.

Mark Felt first met Bob Woodward before he was a journalist. They came across each other in a West Wing waiting room when Woodward was a navy lieutenant.

On 18 December 2008, 'Deep Throat' Mark Felt died aged 95.

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