posted on June 6, 2005 12:03:41 PM new
Newspaper: Daughter of 'Deep Throat' concedes finances were a motive
Sunday, June 5, 2005
The daughter of a former FBI agent revealed as the famous newspaper source "Deep Throat" told a California newspaper that her aging father deserved to let go of his long-held secret but conceded that money played a part in the family's decision to go public.
"He is relieved to get the secret off his chest," Joan Felt said of her father, W. Mark Felt, in an interview published Sunday in her hometown paper, The Press Democrat. W. Mark Felt was the key source in The Washington Post's Watergate investigation that helped bring down President Richard Nixon.
Joan Felt, 61, has lived with her father in a two-story home near California's wine country for the past 13 years. She told the newspaper there were many reasons her family wanted to reveal the elder Felt's role in Watergate after three decades, but added "I won't deny that to make money is one of them."
"My son, Nick, is in law school and he'll owe $100,000 by the time he graduates," she said. "I am still a single mom, still supporting them to one degree or another, and I am not ashamed of this."
But easing her 91-year-old father's mind was also a motivation, Felt stressed.
"I think it's so important for a person getting into elder years, when death is somewhere around the corner, to be unburdened," she said.
Joan Felt said news articles portraying her father as incapacitated are wrong.
She confirmed that he suffered a stroke in 2001 and has undergone surgeries for heart problems and a broken hip — but said he is still lucid.
"We had to help him see that most of the world now considers what he did heroic," she said. "At the time it was happening, he wouldn't have gotten that percentage of support, but history has shown it was so important what he did."
Felt said her relationship with her father has been difficult at times but that the two of them have grown close recently. In 1990, at age 77, the former FBI man severed his Washington ties and moved to Santa Rosa.
He rented an apartment for a time and in 1992 purchased a five-bedroom home for about $200,000. The lower section was remodeled into an apartment, with a bedroom-living room, kitchenette and bathroom.
Since news that Felt was Deep Throat surfaced last week, a security guard has been stationed outside the family's home and stacks of media requests have taken over the kitchen table.
Some literary agents have said the family could earn more than $1 million for a book deal
A word to the wise ain't necessary, it's the stupid ones that need the advice."
- Bill Cosby
posted on June 6, 2005 12:24:17 PM new
And? Bear - Try as you might to smear Felt it's not going to change the fact that the The Nixon Administration was as corrupt as they come.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
No, I'm saying -- I'm merely -- I'm saying what I'm saying. I don't know why I'm always having people say, are you trying to say -- you know what you can do if you want to know what I'm saying is listen to what I'm saying. What I'm saying is what I said ...
posted on June 6, 2005 12:42:46 PM new
I agree with Fenix but greed also plays a part. It's too bad the daughter didn't see the son paying off his loans as part of the education process like every other law student instead of cashing in on her father's roll in history. I'm sure it eased his mind, but I bet it eased hers more.
posted on June 6, 2005 01:07:40 PM new
LOL....some of us KNEW this from when the story FIRST broke.
Many are now questioning why his daughter won't let him be interviewed....while she continues to say why HE decided to come out.
I believe it was Woodward, himself, who felt Mark goes in and out of being in his right mind and not having the ability to remember much of the facts/truth anyway.
This is his 'flower child' daughter that's made this decision to benefit her and her children financially.
While some are still saying they don't believe Felt was the only one leaking info to both of the WashPost writers.
LOL...
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on June 6, 2005 01:14:53 PM new
read a couple of the sidebars on this link....like the one where the 'deal' fell through because the family wanted TOO much money.
posted on June 6, 2005 01:50:27 PM new
Here is another article I posted in the other thread that seemed to be overlooked
Looking Deeper into Joan Felt
The press has encamped itself outside the Santa Rosa, Calif., home where Mark Felt lives with his daughter Joan, waiting for the next move from Family Deep Throat.
Joan Felt, who has said she'd like to "pay some bills" from their notoriety, is described in today's Washington Post as a Sonoma State University Spanish lecturer and former Fulbright scholar.
Reporters have yet to discover her association with a spiritual group called Adidam, brought to light by members of an online discussion group about the movement.
Joan Felt's phone number, which has been publicly listed, turned up on three official Adidam sites as the contact for a study group in Santa Rosa. The pages have recently been deleted or edited to remove her name and phone number, but could still be found Friday morning in Google's cache. I was unsuccessful contacting her by e-mail or phone.
Adidam has 1,000 to 3,000 adherents, according to a Religious Movements project published by the University of Virginia.
Santa Rosa lies around 45 miles from the Mountain of Attention, a 1,000-acre "meditation retreat" in Lake County that was for many years the headquarters of the movement and founder Adi Da Samraj's residence.
Some members have resided communally and devoted their lives to Adidam, as described in a member's book about joining in the '70s:
Friday evenings were yours, every other moment was filled. We took up the disciplines of meditation, service, study, meeting and consideration, a purifying vegetarian diet, confinement of sexuality to twice a month, right livelihood, and maximizing our tithe or financial support.
Another member account from a few years later describes it differently:
I have gotten along well in the Adidam organization ... never got badly burned by anyone because of doing something I really didn't want to do. I read accounts about people being "forced" to eat a certain way, or "forced" to give money ... certainly hasn't been my experience.
A lawsuit filed by three former Adidam members in 1985 alleged that adherents impoverished themselves while the group's founder lived opulently with nine wives and 30 followers on a Fiji island bought for $2.1 million from the actor Raymond Burr.
In 2002, J. Todd Foster was in discussions with the Felt family while preparing a magazine story on Deep Throat's identity. The former freelance journalist wrote about it this week for The News Virginian in Waynesboro, Va., where he serves as managing editor:
Ultimately the story died because of money. The Felt family and their attorney wanted a lot of money, and People magazine -- with my blessing -- backed away in what would have been a case of "checkbook journalism." Reputable news organizations don't pay a penny for news.
In an e-mail this morning, Foster told me the subject of Adidam never came up with the Felts: "My partner dealt with Joan, and she didn't mention it to him either. Money was a prime motivator, but mostly for her son's law school bills."
This is the end of the article but there are comments so
Now click the link
posted on June 6, 2005 01:55:39 PM new
There is also speculation that he had some FBI interns doing the circleing of the page on the paper and also watching the balcony of woodward.
Another thing is that woodward received FBI confidential information after Felt was not working for the FBI any more.
posted on June 6, 2005 03:15:33 PM new
Although I do think that Felt was manipulated by his daughter in coming out at this point, I think that what you might be missing Bear, Linda, Libra et al, is that ... it is irrelevant.
Who cares why he came forward? It does not change what was done 30 years ago or why is it was done. It does not absolve Nixon and his administration of their crimes.
The only thing that truly is exposed in all of these revelations and smear jobs is just how desperately republicans want people to forget about the real issue and the lengths they will go to obscure the reality.
The funny thing though is that had republicans not tried so hard to smear Felt, most of what was done would have stayed forgotten.
Had they just accepted that there was a large degree of curiosity about this man and yep, there he is then it would have died in short order but everytime Liddy, Colson or Buccahanan opens their mouth and calls him a traitor then people start wondering just what this whole thing was about, the scandal finds a whole new life, and the story lives still another day.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
No, I'm saying -- I'm merely -- I'm saying what I'm saying. I don't know why I'm always having people say, are you trying to say -- you know what you can do if you want to know what I'm saying is listen to what I'm saying. What I'm saying is what I said ...
- Ann Coulter
[ edited by fenix03 on Jun 6, 2005 03:16 PM ]
posted on June 6, 2005 04:11:01 PM new
I agree with you for sure, Fenix. I too believe he's a hero, but I also think that his daughter Joan has cheapened his name and the roll he played by wanting big money for something she had nothing to do with, and had the nerve to state publicly she needed to pay off her son's education and she was a single, 61 year old mom. Sounds like she has power of attorney. What a fruitcake.
posted on June 6, 2005 04:28:53 PM new
It has been written in many articles about the memory of Mark Felt and if he can remember everything or anything. If he can't then the price goes down.
I think if he would have died before we knew who he was he would have been more of a hero and we wouldn't have to know about the money that the daughter wanted. Some people have no shame and I believe, in my opinion, that she is one.
_________________
posted on June 6, 2005 04:36:25 PM new
I tend to believe that he never intended for his full story to be told. I think the proof of that is that he never wrote it down. I think he gave Woodward the information that he gave him because he felt it was the right thing to do and once the whole thing came to light, that it was done.
If he had ever intended to go public or make money off the whole thing, he would have written his memoirs and put them in a deposit box 20 years ago.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
No, I'm saying -- I'm merely -- I'm saying what I'm saying. I don't know why I'm always having people say, are you trying to say -- you know what you can do if you want to know what I'm saying is listen to what I'm saying. What I'm saying is what I said ...
posted on June 6, 2005 05:33:12 PM new
I agree fenix and with his failing memory there is no way he can remember it all.
I think it would have been to his advantage to come out earlier so that he could write his book, make his movie. I also am sure he did the right thing but I think it was a bad thing to remain anonymous for so long.
_________________
posted on June 7, 2005 12:45:00 AM new
Ooh Wow BIG SCANDAL Somebody does something for money...!! Unheard of in the United States of Capitalism !!
The Repugs hate the poor and hate people who make money...anybody they like ?
Mark Felt's daughter belongs to a religion ! Shocking!
And the people who have intimate knowledge of what passed between father and daughter..Wow ! again I'm impressed with their x-ray vision and super sonic hearing abilities.
But thank you so much for enlightening me on his living arrangements, the cost of his house and that he has a kitchenette and bathroom !
The actions of family members after a man is dead or in this case unable to communicate should not diminish his individual contribution. Felt's status may not be heroic and his motives may be questioned but the result of his collaboration with two good reporters in uncovering the corruption of the Nixon administration was an unqualified success.
posted on June 7, 2005 06:03:12 AM new
Helen, I don't think there is anyone here that is questioning Mark Felt. I know I said he did the right thing, what is wrong is the daughter and her reasons for coming out. He wanted to remain anonymous she wanted the money...
The gentleman is 91 years old. Is he able to make his own decisions? If he can or can't that will depend on how much money he will get for the story.
_________________
posted on June 7, 2005 06:36:43 AM new
The motive for such right wing focus on the daughter's financial concerns is to, by association, smear Felt. I understand that may not be your motive, Libra.
If Felt's motive had been financial he would have published a book many years ago.
It's crystal clear that Felt's daughter's motive was not Felt's motive. I think that we should keep our eyes on the ball so to speak and not use the daughter's misstatements to the press to deflect our appreciation of Felt's contribution in uncovering the widespread corruption of the Nixon administration.
posted on June 7, 2005 07:38:35 AM new
It is interesting that a more serious transgression committed by the Nixon administration...the carpet bombing of Cambodia, killing possibly 200,000 was given less attention by the media. The servile status of the media to republican power is also illustrated by their allegiance to the corrupt Bush administration
posted on June 7, 2005 08:44:58 AM new
Helen you have to do some searching on Mark Felt. You will find that he did the same things that he accused Nixon of doing and he was fired from the FBI. So yes he was a hero for the Nixon Scandel, but is he really a hero for what he did later. This makes it an even keil so do you think the daughter deserves money for it. I don't. And I don't just think it is a "right" thing.
daughter's missstatements to the press
I don't think the daughter had miss statements to the press. She said what she wanted and she said why she wanted it. Those weren't miss statements. She not only said it the day he came out with the announcement but made the statement the next day in a paper in California. Maybe once is a miss statement but twice?
posted on June 7, 2005 09:32:31 AM new
In reality UNTIL we hear from Felt himself...can judge ourselves, from his own words, whether or not what's being said about him is really true....if he's even capable of putting together lucid statements, it's only the word of his daughter who stands to gain financially and two writers from the WashPost who have benefitted from all this.
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Okay...just for the record.....she's start screaming if I'm wrong...but since she won't answer questions put to her....
helen opposed our Congressional invasion of Iraq.
helen opposed our Congressional invasion of Afghanistan.
helen opposed our Congressional invasion in VN.
Did helen also oppose our actions in the Korean war?
Did helen also oppose our actions in WWII?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on June 7, 2005 09:38:40 AM new
probably-shes a pansy ass liberal
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Baseball season has started,but they have it all wrong.3 strikes and you're out,4 balls you walk.I can tell you right now a man with 4 balls could not possibly walk
posted on June 7, 2005 09:53:02 AM new
lol classic...
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I ask because she's always making negative comments about any war...like she did her now, with the VN one. When asked if she is anti-any-war...she denies it. But so far, I haven't seen ONE that's she's admitted to being in support of.
I have read her say that she is anti-war....and then deny she's said it.
But heaven forbid anyone ever gets a direct answer from her. Rather she'll tell them to pull up her own statements...PROVING she did or didn't say something. When SHE'S the one who has kept files of every word she's ever said here.
cracks me up.
I'm beginning to think that maybe all ultra-liberals have short-term memory issues...or they're just historical revisionists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on June 7, 2005 10:00:15 AM new
For those interested in the current thread "Round Table" about why discussions here become petty...please check out the post above by Linda_K.
This is an example of attacking the poster rather than addressing the topic. How do my opinions on the wars mentioned by Linda_K relate to this topic which should be focused on the Watergate evidence which led to the revelation of corruption in the Nixon administration.
posted on June 7, 2005 10:13:53 AM new
helen asks:
This is an example of attacking the poster rather than addressing the topic.
Attacks? Nope, just once again pointing out, to back up my previous statements that you always deny, that you are always blaming OUR country for everything.
How do my opinions on the wars mentioned by Linda_K relate to this topic which should be focused on the Watergate evidence which led to the revelation of corruption in the Nixon administration.
Well sweetpie YOU brought Cambodia up FIRST....by mentioning OUR TERRIBLE ACTIONS in the VN war. You went off topic yourself FIRST - I just responded. You just think you can saying anything and it should NEVER be challenged nor addressed. Doesn't work that way...not here.
It is interesting that a more serious transgression committed by the Nixon administration...the carpet bombing of Cambodia, killing possibly 200,000 was given less attention by the media.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
posted on June 7, 2005 10:23:07 AM new
Cambodia is related to Nixon corruption... Your hyper-mania posts with happy faces and notices that you are cracking up while focusing on me is not.
posted on June 7, 2005 10:59:25 AM new"helen opposed our Congressional invasion of Iraq." "helen opposed our Congressional invasion of Afghanistan." "helen opposed our Congressional invasion in VN."
"Did helen also oppose our actions in the Korean war?"
[/i]"Did helen also oppose our actions in WWII?"[/i]
Are you being serious, Linda? What a twist! This is what I see...
- Helen opposed the invasion of Iraq because the President lied about the reason for the invasion.
- Helen never opposed the invasion of Afghanistan.
- Everyone was opposed to Viet Nam.
- Helen is opposed to any war that's started under false pretenses or/and for political gain. Period.
posted on June 7, 2005 11:00:39 AM new
::you have to do some searching on Mark Felt. You will find that he did the same things that he accused Nixon of doing and he was fired from the FBI.::
But here is the difference between what Felt did and what the Nixon admin did.
Felt broke into and place bugged in office at the request of the FBI in conjunction with the Justice Department. At that point in time, FBI believed that all they needed was a request form justice in order for such acts to be legal. The case was taken to court and the supreme court decided that a simple request form Justice was not in fact sufficient and so Judge signed court orders were required from then on... on until the Patriot act that is.
Nixon pardoned Felt because Felt was acting in good faith.
The Watergate break-in, the bugging of NYT reporters home phones, the bugging of Danielle Ellsbergs office... those were done under orders of the White House and the Committee to Re-elect for person gain with no "good faith" attached. They were done with knowledge that they were illegal as evidenced by the extensive attempts at cover-up.
~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~ • ~~~
No, I'm saying -- I'm merely -- I'm saying what I'm saying. I don't know why I'm always having people say, are you trying to say -- you know what you can do if you want to know what I'm saying is listen to what I'm saying. What I'm saying is what I said ...
posted on June 7, 2005 11:17:25 AM newCambodia is related to Nixon corruption... [i]Your hyper-mania posts with happy faces and notices that you are cracking up while focusing on me is not[/].
Carry on alone, lindak
Oh, but sweetpie....it was YOU who just told me, in THIS THREAD:
relate to this topic which should be focused on the Watergate evidence...
and bringing up Cambodia...is NOT focusing on Watergate evidence. ....but I think you knew that.
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KD - Individual excuses/reasons for opposing all/any war can always be found. I'm just pointing out how there hasn't been ONE she HAS supported. And of course, she won't answer about the Korean war, WWII, or all the 'conflicts' clinton dealt with. Like bombing Iraq himself.
edited to add but one statement where helen said she, herself, was anti-war. No mention of JUST THIS war at all.
helenjw - posted on April 29, 2003 09:53:30 AM
But I didn't mention libel. I just want xxx to tell the truth and he has not.
I'm not pro-communist.
I'm just anti-war and anti-bush.
edited again for another post from helen.
helenjw - posted on May 9, 2003 04:44:41 PM
Xxx is so sweet. He calls me Baghdad Helen because I am anti-war.
"Whenever the nation is under attack, from within or without, liberals side with the enemy. This is their essence." --Ann Coulter
And why the American Voters chose to RE-elect President Bush to four more years. YES!!!
[ edited by Linda_K on Jun 7, 2005 11:24 AM ]
[ edited by Linda_K on Jun 7, 2005 11:29 AM ]
My complete statement...along with all that you omitted....
This is an example of attacking the poster rather than addressing the topic. How do my opinions on the wars mentioned by Linda_K relate to this topic which should be focused on the Watergate evidence which led to the revelation of corruption in the Nixon administration.
