Mark Felt

The Nixon <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PLCUL000110" title="White House" href="/topic/politics/government/executive-branch/white-house-PLCUL000110.topic">White House</a> hired a shadowy group called the Plumbers to prevent news leaks. But instead, an illegal break-in by the Plumbers inspired a source nicknamed Deep Throat to help <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORCRP016752" title="The Washington Post" href="/topic/arts-culture/mass-media/news-media/the-washington-post-ORCRP016752.topic">the Washington Post</a>. Three decades later, Deep Throat was identified as <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="ORGOV000008" title="FBI" href="/topic/crime-law-justice/crimes/fbi-ORGOV000008.topic">FBI</a> No. 2 man Mark Felt. Before that, speculation pointed to a dozen or more people, including Pat Buchanan, <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="hpp1883" title="Henry Kissinger" href="/topic/politics/henry-kissinger-hpp1883.topic">Henry Kissinger</a>, <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PEPLT000856" title="George H.W. Bush" href="/topic/politics/government/presidents-of-the-united-states/george-h.w.-bush-PEPLT000856.topic">President George H.W. Bush</a>, <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PEPLT0000118" title="Gerald Ford" href="/topic/politics/government/presidents-of-the-united-states/gerald-ford-PEPLT0000118.topic">Gerald Ford</a>, Gen. Alexander Haig, Sen. <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="hpp3356" title="Lowell Weicker" href="/topic/politics/lowell-weicker-hpp3356.topic">Lowell Weicker</a>, <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PECLB0017764633" title="Diane Sawyer " href="/topic/arts-culture/mass-media/diane-sawyer--PECLB0017764633.topic">Diane Sawyer</a> and even comedian <a class="taxInlineTagLink" id="PECLB003771" title="Ben Stein" href="/topic/entertainment/ben-stein-PECLB003771.topic">Ben Stein</a>.

( Justin Sullivan, Getty Images / May 31, 2005 )

The Nixon White House hired a shadowy group called the Plumbers to prevent news leaks. But instead, an illegal break-in by the Plumbers inspired a source nicknamed Deep Throat to help the Washington Post. Three decades later, Deep Throat was identified as FBI No. 2 man Mark Felt. Before that, speculation pointed to a dozen or more people, including Pat Buchanan, Henry Kissinger, President George H.W. Bush, Gerald Ford, Gen. Alexander Haig, Sen. Lowell Weicker, Diane Sawyer and even comedian Ben Stein.

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