Whistleblower Mark Felt

Perhaps the most anticipated and highly publicized whistleblower of modern times was Mark Felt, who after 30 years' silence finally revealed that he was the mysterious "Deep Throat," the news source who had fed information about the Watergate scandal to Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein. This information was instrumental in bringing down the strange, corrupt presidential administration of Richard Nixon.

Felt obtained the two reporters' promise that they would not reveal his identity until his death. He met with Woodward on various nocturnal occasions in a Washington parking garage and passed tips or verified leads about a presidential administration that had become paranoid and out of control. The nickname Deep Throat had a double meaning. In part it came from the journalistic term "deep background," and also called to mind the well known porn movie Deep Throat.

In 2005, Felt revealed his secret identity via a Vanity Fair story written by John O'Connor.

The suave and worldly Felt had served for many years as second in command at the FBI. He was twice passed over to become the agency's director, which perhaps soured him toward authority. He had been with the agency since 1942, originally working under its founder, J.Edgar Hoover. Felt became deputy director in 1971.

Felt himself got into legal trouble in 1980 for his part in authorizing warrantless break-ins and wiretaps of members of the violent protest group called the Weather Underground. He was convicted at the trial level, but during his appeal, he was pardoned by President Ronald Reagan.

After being passed over as director for the second time, Felt retired in 1973. He died at age 95 in 2008.