Posted on 06/03/2005 5:16:58 PM PDT by CHARLITE
The revelation that Deep Throat was actually Mark Felt, the No. 2 man at the FBI during the Nixon Presidency, has focused new attention on the Watergate era and the political consequences that followed. But with the revelation that Felt was the informant that brought down Nixon should also come some attention to the investigations into the FBI and Felt's activities after Watergate and the consequences the nation suffered on 9/11 as a direct result.
First, in regard to Felt and Watergate, the liberal media today are all lauding him as a hero because without him Nixon might not have been forced to resign. The irony of it all is that some of the same groups and individuals that Felt was helping to take down Nixon, would later be involved in taking down the FBI and Felt.
While the liberal media hated Nixon, they also hated and distrusted the FBI and its powerful director J. Edgar Hoover. They would have had the same feelings toward Felt because he was a dedicated Hoover man who was also involved in carrying out domestic intelligence gathering operations. During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, the FBI was engaged in numerous domestic investigations and intelligence operations targeting communist groups, hate groups such as the Ku Klux Klan, black militants such as the Black Panthers, anti-war groups and other groups that were involved in subversive and sometimes violent activities. The FBI kept extensive files on organizations and individuals that could be considered a threat to national security.
In gathering some of this information, the FBI abused its power and committed inexcusable encroachments on civil liberties. In fact, Felt, former FBI Acting Director L. Patrick Gray, and Deputy Associate Director Edward Miller, were all indicted for authorizing illegal break-ins related to FBI surveillance of the violent extremist organization, the Weather Underground. Felt and Miller were convicted in 1980, but both were pardoned in 1981 by President Ronald Reagan.
Because of the public disclosure of abuses involving FBI operations that targeted American citizens involved in the anti-war movement, Congress initiated an investigation into the domestic intelligence operations of the FBI and CIA in January 1975. The Senate Select Committee to Study Governmental Operations with Respect to Intelligence Activities, also known as the Church Committee because it was chaired by Senator Frank Church of Idaho, issued 14 reports in 1975 and 1976 on the activities of the CIA and the FBI. The committee's reports lead to the creation of oversight committees for intelligence in the United States Senate (1976) and the House (1977) that drastically changed the FBI's approach to protecting the nation from domestic terrorism.
Prior to the Church Committee, the FBI took a pro-active stance toward domestic terrorism, choosing to interdict terrorists or subversives before they actually carried out a violent attack. But after the Church Committee reports, the Justice Department under the direction of Attorney General Edward Levi, put severe restrictions on bureau's ability to conduct domestic intelligence gathering. The "Levi Guidelines," most of which remained in effect until 9/11, led the FBI into a posture of initiating an investigation only when they were certain that a group was on the brink of an attack.
The "Levi Guidelines," along with other restraints imposed in the 1980s in the aftermath of another Congressional inquiry, changed the FBI's mentality from pro-active to reactive. In other words, the FBI's role in fighting domestic terrorism was effectively reduced to cleaning up the mess after an attack and trying to apprehend the perpetrators. As a direct consequence of operating for almost 25 years under these restrictions, the FBI failed to follow up on leads in their Phoenix and Minneapolis field offices during the summer of 2001 that would have led them to the 9/11 hijackers. Had the FBI been more aggressive in following up on these leads it is very likely that the attacks on 9/11would have been prevented.
Frankly, the FBI overstepped some bounds and needed to be held accountable. But as is so often the case, the politicians, pressured by the liberal media and their own political ambitions, caved in to political correctness and imposed overreaching restrictions on America's first line of defense against domestic terrorism. And as history has now proven, in their efforts to end abuses by virtually eliminating their ability to conduct domestic intelligence operations, two-and-a-half decades later the cure proved to be worse than the malady.
In regard to Mr. Felt, I doubt he was ever the left's hero. What Felt did to expose Nixon, he did to protect the FBI and perhaps, in some degree, as retribution against Nixon passing over him for the director's job after Hoover died. Felt continued Hoover's domestic surveillance practices that were so despised by the liberals and the radicals of that era. In the end, Felt and the FBI were sucked into the radical liberal vortex of political correctness and hypersensitivity to civil liberties that took him and the FBI down together. Who knew that as a result, two decades later, the World Trade Towers would come down too?
Gary Palmer is president of the Alabama Policy Institute, a non-partisan, non-profit research and education organization dedicated to the preservation of free markets, limited government and strong families, which are indispensable to a prosperous society.
Have they checked that converted garage of his for anthrax spores?
I think this proves that the FBI management and information pyramid is too steep. They should be abolished.
What a remarkably convoluted logical contraption, and all designed to avoid the plain and simple fact that none of this would have happened if Nixon and his administration had not committed grave crimes against the American people. They are the criminals, and they are entirely responsible for the consequences of their actions. To blame those who did no more than seek justice is ridiculous.
That would be tough for "Deep Throat" to swallow!
So much about ‘Deep Throat’, he was a small player in the over all plan. He and the media were used as chess pieces for a larger game. In ‘The Amendment’ by John Fitzgerald there is a lot more to the story. The 25th Amendmentplayed an important part. The theory behind the facts is amazing and really does leave you wondering, what really happen. This book is the 'Da Vinci Code' of American politics
Absolutely chilling--and all-too possible (especially with JFK scheduled to introduce the subject Monday).
Ah--so we're back to "grave crimes." A burglary (that actually never even took place--nothing was taken) and a cover-up that just about any political being in the country would have attempted and viewed as part of politics-as-usual. Dirty tricks aren't always even little crimes.
Ethically, it was wrong to cover up, period. But what would have been the greater crime--allowing George McGovern (who, like someone else we all know, was accepting and espousing verbatim the North Vietnamese & Viet Cong peace proposals) to be elected or sending former FBI & CIA agents to look for evidence of democrat campaign finance violations? Clearly, Nixon preferred the lesser of two evils. Or maybe you don't believe that some dems in those days were seditionists and traitors. Nixon DID believe that.
I have seen this sentiment posted often but I lived through all that and payed pretty close attention and I don't remember any such thing. You seem more up to date than I am so would you please remind me of all the awful things Nixon did?
And we are now relieving the consequences of these scumbags inflated ego.
John Kerry has not yet signed form 180!
I think you missed the upshot of this article. The author contrasted the result of the FBI's dealings in the Nixon era and its fallout with their inability to stop 911 (not a Porsche). I think it is relevant considering around 3000 people died because there were a lot of people whose taxes paid the gubmint to protect them who had to jump 100 stories to their death as a result of either:
a) incompetence
b) indifference
c) institutional bias toward anyone who made the FBI et al do their job
d) the notion that offending someone is worse than murder
e) all of the above
How many people contacted the FBI regarding gooners taking flight lessons? Why don't we see these stories in the media? Self Loathing is sort of a blood sport with the psychotics in D.C. and they're in for all 4 quarters!
Peace!
"if Nixon and his administration had not committed grave crimes against the American people"
What crime did Nixon commit when Felt started disclosing confidential info to the press for which he will now benefit monetarily?
"He and the media were used as chess pieces for a larger game"
What was the bigger game?
You, sir, are either ignorant of history or a troll, or both.
Nixon did not commit "grave crimes against the American people."
Watergate was a stupid, third rate break-in, ordered by Howard Dean for purposes still being guessed at--seemingly to get something to embarass the Democrats with concerning a callgirl ring operating out of the Watergate---to entertain visiting Dem bigwigs. Of course, after the fact, Dean waffled and squealed like the pig he was. He was a despicable disloyal worm. Nixon was certainly wrong to obfuscate and conceal to try to save his personnel---he should have thrown Dean to the wolves. Colson and others served time and Dean eventually turned state's evidence and made a load of money writing a book making himself a hero and damning others.
Nixon was almost paranoic, with good reason. When he ran against JFK, the election was stolen from him in Ill. by the Chicago
machine. Don't take my word for it--research that election. Of course, having stolen that election without consequences, the Dems have felt entitled to try to steal elections ever since and cry foul if not allowed to do so.
Nixon has long been hated by the liberal media because as a young Rep. he was instrumental in bringing down Alger Hiss, who was an American aristocratic blueblood, a liberal darling, and a Communist high up in our govt. Even after Russian papers have proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that Hiss was indeed a Communist working against our govt. in a high position in the Truman Admin. the lib media is mostly still in denial.
And it is certainly an historical fact that after Watergate, the national security apparatus became PC. If not directly responsible for 9/11, this certainly contributed to it.
Now, the media, the Dems, and JFKerry are changing the subject to Impeachment of George Bush. They "got" one Republican President; what makes you think they are not going after another one?
vaudine
Standing up and applauding your post.
I, too, lived through Watergate, and don't remember any "grave crimes committed against the American people".
The Lefties howled during Watergate--then they shut up like good little toadies when their idol Clinton committed crimes in offices.
Watergate was always a payback from long memory Lefties in the government against Nixon because of Nixon's role in exposing Alger Hiss and other State Dept. Communists 25 years earlier.
Twice, this noble but imperfect man walked away because it was in the best interests of the country he loved--in 1960 when Kennedy stole the Presidential election, and resigning in 1974 to avoid an impeachment and trial that the Dems were cooking for him.
The notion that Felt is a hero is a pile of steaming horse excrement.
BUMP
Vigilante justice..
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