"...I fail to see how what Felt disclosed was illegal..."
My take on this - Whatever Felt knew, he knew because of his position in the FBI. If there were illegal activities on the part of any Administration people, he had a responsibility to the Justice Department, not to Woodward. His taking whatever he knew to the media was a reprehensible act.
"Whatever Felt knew"....
Well, that's the key here, isn't it? He's #2 at the FBI. Maybe his boss(es) are tools of the Nixon admin...maybe not...maybe he's got some hot info in his hands.
SHRIEK!! This a no-brainer...even for an Enron accountant:
1. Feel out the bosses. (FBI)
2. Feel out the bosses' bosses. (Members of Congress/Senate...and don't think #2 at the FBI didn't have a killer Rolidex of unlisted home phone numbers from both parties)
3. Resign.
4. Have a news conference & lay out your proof or suspicions. (Now you can't be assasinated...if that is your fear...)
5. Take the heat & stand your ground.
Sound familiar?
Familiar as NOT done...like a certain disaffected Texas National Guard officer who had "hot info" about George W...so sent it to 60 Minutes via an obsessed producer & a Kinkos fax machine?
(see steps 1-5)
This BS of sneaking around feeding tips to reporters because you don't have the cojones to make the accusations yourself.....ah...must get into my pj's and matching tinfoil hat.
Mr. Felt...glad you finally were brave enough to come clean with your grandchildren.