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First Post
an hour ago
- Politics
- First Post
History Today: When the whistleblower behind the Watergate scandal exposed himself. Who was 'Deep Throat'?
On May 31, 2005, W Mark Felt, the former Associate Director of the US intelligence agency FBI, revealed himself as the secret source named 'Deep Throat' that exposed the Watergate scandal in the US. The official secretly cooperated with Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to expose the scandal that led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974 read more More than 30 years after the Watergate scandal rocked the United States, W Mark Felt, once the Associate Director of the US intelligence agency FBI, publicly revealed in 2005 that he had been the mysterious source known as 'Deep Throat.' AP May 31 is remembered as a turning point in American political history, especially for those who remember the political storm that was Watergate. In 2005, more than three decades after the Watergate scandal shook the foundations of the White House and led to President Richard Nixon's resignation, the secret source behind the exposé known only as 'Deep Throat' finally revealed his identity. Meanwhile, back in 1962, Adolf Eichmann, a key architect of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, was executed in Israel following his conviction for crimes against humanity. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If you are a history geek who loves to learn about important events from the past, Firstpost Explainers' ongoing series, History Today will be your one-stop destination to explore key events. Here's a look at what made headlines on May 31. When former FBI Assistant Director revealed himself as 'Deep Throat' More than 30 years after the Watergate scandal rocked the United States, W Mark Felt, once the Associate Director of the US intelligence agency FBI , publicly revealed in 2005 that he had been the mysterious source known as 'Deep Throat.' It was Felt's secret cooperation with Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein that played a vital role in exposing the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to President Richard Nixon 's resignation in 1974. The Watergate scandal eventually led to President Richard Nixon's resignation in 1974. AP Although there had long been speculation about his identity, Felt had always denied any involvement. 'I never leaked information to Woodward and Bernstein or to anyone else,' he wrote in his 1979 memoir. Even as late as 1999, just six years before his confession, a then 91-year-old Felt told reporters, 'It would be contrary to my responsibility as a loyal employee of the FBI to leak information.' Felt's motivation to leak secret info was rooted in his frustration. After the death of longtime FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, Felt had hoped to be named as Hoover's successor. But Nixon passed him over, and tensions escalated as the White House attempted to interfere with the FBI's Watergate investigation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD When Bob Woodward reached out to Felt for help, the veteran FBI official agreed, but only under strict conditions. Felt wouldn't be quoted, not even anonymously. He refused to offer any new information and only confirmed what the reporters already knew. And above all, his identity had to remain under wraps. Woodward and Bernstein only contacted him for matters they deemed absolutely essential. Washington Post reporters Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward at work in 1973. AP At first, they spoke over the phone. But as concerns about tapped lines grew, the pair came up with a system of signals and began meeting secretly in a parking garage in the dead of night. Felt's eventual reveal came via an article in Vanity Fair, much to the surprise of Woodward and Bernstein, who had vowed to protect his identity until his death. He died on December 18, 2008, at the age of 95. When the architect of Holocaust was executed in Israel On this day in 1962, Adolf Eichmann , a high-ranking Nazi official and one of the principal organisers of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, was executed for his crimes against humanity in Israel. Eichmann played a key role in implementing the so-called 'Final Solution,' the Nazis' plan to systematically exterminate the Jewish population. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He was tasked with coordinating the identification, rounding up, and deportation of millions of Jews from Nazi-occupied Europe to death camps. There, they were either gassed or worked until they died. Eichmann performed his duties with chilling efficiency. Between three to four million Jews died in the extermination camps under his direction, and an additional two million were killed elsewhere. Adolf Eichmann, a high-ranking Nazi official and one of the principal organisers of Adolf Hitler's Holocaust, was executed for his crimes against humanity in Israel. Image courtesy: The National World War II Mueseum After the war, Eichmann was captured by American troops. But he managed to escape custody, moving secretly through Europe and eventually the Middle East. By 1950, he had slipped into Argentina, then known for its relaxed immigration policies and reputation as a haven for former Nazi officials, where he assumed the false identity of Ricardo Klement. In 1957, a German prosecutor passed a tip to Israeli authorities that Eichmann was alive and hiding in Argentina. Mossad, Israel's intelligence agency, launched a covert mission. On May 11, they made their move. As Eichmann walked home from a bus stop along Garibaldi Street, Mossad agents snatched him and took him to a safe house. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nine days later, he was smuggled out of Argentina, heavily sedated and disguised as a crew member of an Israeli airline who had supposedly suffered a head injury. On May 23, Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion went public with the shocking news: Eichmann was in Israeli custody. Argentina protested, demanding his return. But Israel insisted that Eichmann's role as a war criminal gave them every right to put him on trial. The proceedings began on April 11, 1961, in Jerusalem, marking the first time a trial was broadcast on television. Eichmann faced 15 charges, including war crimes, crimes against the Jewish people, and crimes against humanity. He claimed he was merely following orders, but the court didn't buy it. He was executed by hanging near Tel Aviv. His remains were cremated, and his ashes were scattered at sea.
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trump answers whether he would pardon Diddy
The Brief During a White House event celebrating Elon Musk, President Donald Trump was asked if he would consider pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs amid the hip-hop mogul's ongoing sex trafficking case. He noted he hasn't followed the case closely and hasn't spoken to Diddy in years, adding that their relationship cooled after he entered politics. Trump and Diddy have crossed paths over the years at many prestigious and high-profile events, even sharing a box with wives, Melania Trump and Kim Porter, at the 1997 US Open. NEW YORK - During a White House event celebrating Elon Musk, President Donald Trump was asked if he would consider pardoning Sean "Diddy" Combs amid the hip hop mogul's ongoing sex trafficking case. Trump said no one has formally requested a pardon but acknowledged that "people are thinking about it." The trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs has already cemented itself in pop culture history with its dramatic revelations and high-profile testimonies. Pardoning Diddy would be a monumental move, given the scale of the allegations and the intense public attention surrounding the case. Trump and Diddy have crossed paths over the years at prestigious and high-profile events, including the 2005 Art for Life Gala honoring Diddy at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, and the Feb.6, 2008 Gucci and Madonna benefit for Raising Malawi and UNICEF at the United Nations in New York City, where they were both photographed with Melania Trump. Trump and Diddy have crossed paths over the years at many prestigious, high-profile events like the 1997 US Open with wife, Melania, and partner, Kim Porter. Trump noted he hasn't followed the case closely and hasn't spoken to Diddy in years, adding that their relationship cooled after he entered politics. Trump emphasized that any decision would be based on the facts and not on popularity. The U.S. Constitution gives the president the power to pardon people for federal crimes, except in cases of impeachment. A pardon is legal forgiveness as it ends punishment and restores rights like voting or running for office. While this power is broad, it only applies to federal crimes, not state offenses. A president can pardon someone before they are convicted of a crime. This is known as a preemptive pardon and has precedent in U.S. history. Former President Joe Biden pre-emptively pardoned several family members, including his brothers James and Frank Biden, and sister Valerie Biden Owens. One of the most famous examples is President Gerald Ford's 1974 pardon of Richard Nixon, which came before Nixon was formally charged or convicted of any crimes related to the Watergate scandal. However, the pardon still only applies to federal crimes, not state-level charges. Big picture view Trump pardoned several people including Todd and Julie Chrisley, known for their show "Chrisley Knows Best," former Connecticut governor John G. Rowland, Kentrell Gaulden (known as rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again), Kevin Eric Baisden, John Moore, former U.S. Rep. Michael Grimm, James Callahan, former Virginia Sheriff Scott Jenkins, and Tanner Mansell. Federal prosecutors have charged Diddy with a series of crimes including: Count 1: Racketeering Conspiracy. Count One charges that, from at least in or about 2004 through in or about 2024, the defendant participated in a racketeering conspiracy during which he agreed with other employees and associates of his businesses to commit kidnapping, arson, bribery of a witness, obstruction of justice, drug distribution, forced labor, sex trafficking, and transportation for purposes of engaging in prostitution. Count 2: Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud, or Coercion. Count Two charges the defendant with sex trafficking an adult female victim through force, fraud, and coercion between ~2009 and ~2018. Count 3: Transportation to Engage in Prostitution. Count Three charges the defendant with transporting that female victim and male commercial sex workers to engage in prostitution between ~2009 and ~2018. Count 4: Sex trafficking. Count Four charges the defendant with sex trafficking a second adult female victim through force, fraud, and coercion between ~2021 and ~2024. Count 5: Transportation to Engage in Prostitution. Count Five charges the defendant with transporting that second female victim and male commercial sex workers to engage in prostitution between ~2021 and ~2024. He also faces more than 60 lawsuits from alleged victims. If convicted, the 55-year-old Diddy could face 15 years to life in prison. In documents obtained by Fox News Digital, Diddy's defense team admitted the disgraced rapper committed "domestic violence" against a partner. Diddy's strategy seems to be to "admit to what is a lesser, state crime to avoid federal prison." Diddy was arrested in Oct. 2024 at the Park Hyatt New York in Midtown Manhattan. He's been in jail ever since. The trial, which began Monday, May 12, with opening statements, is expected to last eight weeks.
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tapper reveals Democratic sources felt no remorse about covering up Biden decline in interviews for book
CNN's Jake Tapper said during an interview on Wednesday that the many Democratic sources he and Axios reporter Alex Thompson spoke to for their book about the cover-up of former President Biden's decline didn't really express remorse or acknowledgment that a mistake was made. "We never got somebody that said, 'We should never have done this. I can't believe we did it. In retrospect, it was a mistake. How arrogant we were.' I mean, even, you know, there was a top aide, a top White House aide, who acknowledged to me that this short 10-15 minute interview I did with Joe Biden in October 2022, he would not have been capable of doing in October 2023. That admission was stunning to me," Tapper said on The Stephen A. Smith Show. He added, "But it did not come with, 'And we really made a mistake, we shouldn't have run him. What an error. I can't believe we did it.' It didn't come with that." Tapper and Thompson's book, "Original Sin: President Biden's Decline, Its Cover-Up, and His Disastrous Choice to Run Again," has detailed the length at which those closest to Biden went to cover up his limitations while in office. The CNN host recently said the scandal may even be "worse than Watergate." Axios Reporter Pushes Back On Biden's Denial Of Mental Decline, Saying White House Insiders Disagree Tapper said the sources said they thought Biden was the only one who could beat President Donald Trump. Read On The Fox News App "So I think that most were telling the truth, as much as they had come to terms with it themselves, but I do wonder where they will be in a year, because I heard from one of the people, one of the Democrats I interviewed for the book, who gave me one of the most shocking revelations, and I checked in, 'How are you doing,' they're upset. But they're not upset at us, not upset at the book, they're just upset that it happened and now everybody is talking about it," he added. "They're still working through a lot." Thompson also discussed one interview he did that occurred before the election for the book, who he described as saying that all the former president had to do was win and "occasionally show proof of life and the people around him would run the country." "And their justification was when you, first of all, you're not bringing back Trump. And when people vote for president, they're also voting for the people around them, and some people in the Biden world, that is how they justified keeping this going," Thompson added. Tapper added that view was "crazy." Shielding Biden: Journalists Shed Light On The Media's Cover-up Of A Weakened President "That was somebody who worked for the White House before the election, before Biden dropped out, saying like, it's no big deal, he just needs to show proof of life. That was the term, proof of life.' I mean, that's so offensive," Tapper said. The CNN host also accused the former president, and those around him, of being anti-democratic. "And like the idea that Biden thought only he could beat Trump and that he could be president for another four years, both of those are not facts and they both seem odd to me. But the idea that he would deny the Democratic Party an opportunity to have a primary system that would produce, among possible candidates, whether you or Gretchen Whitmer or Josh Shapiro or Gavin Newsom or whoever, that he would deny that to the party, so that this small group of people, including him, and one cabinet secretary said to us that it was, at best, he was a senior member of a board that ran the country. It's anti-democratic, really," he said, speaking to Smith, who has suggested that he was open to a potential bid for the presidency. Click Here For More Coverage Of Media And Culture Tapper has admitted that he didn't cover Biden's decline extensively enough since the book's release and has said he looks back on it with "humility."Original article source: Tapper reveals Democratic sources felt no remorse about covering up Biden decline in interviews for book
Business Insider
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Insider
Bill Gates' summer reading list this year is all about memoirs
"Chasing Hope" by Nicholas Kristof Gates said he's been following the work of Nicholas Kristof since 1997, when the veteran journalist published an article about children in poor countries dying from diarrhea. It changed the course of his life and helped him shape the Gates Foundation, Gates wrote in his blog post. "In this terrific memoir, Nick writes about how he stays optimistic about the world despite everything he's seen," Gates wrote. "The world would be better off with more Nick Kristofs." "Chasing Hope" came out in 2024 — after Gates finished writing his own memoir. However, Gates said he felt he had to include it on the list. "Personal History" by Katharine Graham Gates said he met renowned newspaper publisher Katharine Graham in 1991 on the same day he met Warren Buffett. Kay, as Gates affectionately called her, is best known for presiding over her family's paper, The Washington Post, during Richard Nixon's Watergate scandal. "I loved hearing Kay talk about her remarkable life: taking over the Post at a time when few women were in leadership positions like that, standing up to President Nixon to protect the paper's reporting on Watergate and the Pentagon Papers, negotiating the end to a pressman's strike, and much more," Gates said. "Educated" by Tara Westover Tara Westover's "Educated" debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list after its 2018 release. The tale of her upbringing, which included an unconventional father who banned her family from going to hospitals or attending school, led Gates to leave a 5-star review on Goodreads the same year it came out. Westover taught herself math and self-studied for the ACT despite not setting foot in a classroom until she was 17. Today, she has a Ph.D. in history. "I thought I was pretty good at teaching myself — until I read Tara Westover's memoir 'Educated.' Her ability to learn on her own blows mine right out of the water," Gates said in his review. "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah Comedian Trevor Noah released "Born a Crime," a memoir about his childhood in South Africa, in 2016. As a biracial boy growing up during apartheid, Noah was the product of an illegal interracial relationship and struggled to fit in. Gates said he related to the feeling of being an outsider. "I also grew up feeling like I didn't quite fit in at times, although Trevor has a much stronger claim to the phrase than I do," he wrote in his blog post. "Surrender" by Bono Gates shouted out the vulnerability in "Surrender" by musician Paul David Hewson, better known as U2 frontman Bono. The full title, "Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story," sums up the 40-chapter autobiography that has each chapter named after a U2 song. According to Gates, Bono opens up about his upbringing with parents who "basically ignored" his passion for singing, which only made him try harder to make it as a musician. "I went into this book knowing almost nothing about his anger at his father, the band's near-breakups, and his discovery that his cousin was actually his half-brother," Gates said.
Scoop
a day ago
- Politics
- Scoop
On Why Leakers Are Essential To The Public Good
For obvious reasons, people in positions of power tend to treat the leaking of unauthorised information as a very, very bad thing. But, the history of the last 100 years has been changed very much for the better by the leaking of unauthorised information. For obvious reasons, people in positions of power tend to treat the leaking of unauthorised information as a very, very bad thing, and – to maintain the appearance of control – they will devote a lot of time and energy into tracking down and punishing those responsible. Just as obviously, the history of the last 100 years has been changed – very much for the better – by the leaking of unauthorised information. The obvious examples include: (a) the Pentagon Papers that revealed (among other things) the secret US saturation bombing of Cambodia (b) the 'Deep Throat' leaks of criminal presidential actions during the Watergate scandal that helped bring down US President Richard Nixon (c) the leaked Panama Papers documents that revealed the techniques of systematic tax evasion rife in offshore tax havens (d) the thousands of secret US diplomatic cables leaked by Chelsea Manning that revealed the covert methods used by the US to influence the foreign policy decisions taken in dozens of countries (e) the NSA leaks by Edward Snowden that exposed a number of US and British clandestine and illegal spy operations (f) the Cambridge Analytica mis-use of personal data scandal, which came to light via leaks by former CA employee Christopher Wylie to journalist Carole Cadwallader at the Observer. Closer to home, one need only mention the public good served by the numerous investigations conducted by journalist Nicky Hager. Hager's work has regularly put to good use any number of tip-offs and shared insights from a large number of highly motivated leakers, whistle blowers and informers who had inside knowledge of matters affecting the public, but without the public's knowledge or approval. Even the anodyne Operation Burnham inquiry ended up by vindicating the Hit & Run book written by Hager and co-author Jon Stephenson . Point being, journalism would not be able to function without a thriving ecosystem of leaking and whistle-blowing, informants and tip-offs. This unofficial and unauthorised sharing of information provides a vital counter-balance to the media's dependence otherwise, on official sources and p.r. machines. Why does it seem necessary to revisit the ancient and honourable history of leaking? Unfortunately, we seem to be in the throes of another witch hunt led by Public Service Commissioner Sir Brian Roche – to find and to punish the public servants responsible for recent leaks of confidential information to the media. One can't be entirely sure of the science, but it seems likely that the leaks of unauthorised information are a direct and proportionate response to the bull-dozing of the democratic process by the coalition government. When urgency is being taken to crush pay equity and to ram through regulatory reform that has serious constitutional implications…then it seems inevitable that people with access to sensitive information will do all they can to alert the public, and to block the path of the bulldozer. Does leaking undermine the public's faith in institutions and the political process? Hardly. Currently, David Seyumour and his coalition cronies are doing a pretty good job of that, all by themselves. Does it help to make a distinction between 'leaking' and 'whistle-blowing?' Not really. Call it whistle-blowing and the revelations gain a sense of virtue, in that the information can be argued to be something that the public needs to know, but has no legitimate means of finding out. This balance between unauthorised revelations and the public good surfaced again just before Budget Day, when – on the grounds of commercial sensitivity – the courts blocked RNZ's publication of a leaked document about education policy. The court action was controversial, and with good reason. Whenever public money is involved, surely secrecy driven by 'commercial sensitivity' should be the very rare exception and not (as tends to be the case) the default position. Moreover…the government can hardly cry foul. Routinely, successive governments have drip-fed policy revelations to the media before Budget Day, in order to achieve the maximum amount of political coverage. Sauce for the goose etc. Subsequently, a Public Services Commission memorandum warning of an imminent crackdown on public servants found to be leaking information was itself leaked to the media, by persons unknown. While widely condemned, some of those recent leaks have had a silver lining. The revelation for example, that the Police would no longer investigate shoplifting offences involving amounts below $500 aroused the fury of some retailers, and quickly led to a Police backdown. In that case, the leaking of Police information led directly to a better policy outcome. More of that, please. Spot The Dfference One supposed difference between leakers and whistleblowers is that whistleblowers are supposed to first raise their concerns with their bosses – such that public disclosure then becomes the last resort, rather than the first step. Hmm. In the real world, telling your superiors that you have deep moral misgivings about a policy they are managing is likely to be a career-damaging step, if not a direct path to dismissal. Contractors who want their contracts renewed would be well advised to keep their mouths shut, and/or to leak information in ways that cover their tracks. For obvious reasons, there seems to be no political appetite for strengthening the protections available to whistleblowers. Even the Public Service Association has been careful to condemn leaking under any circumstances. PSA national secretary Fleur Fitzsimons reminded public servants that they are obliged to carry out the policies of the government of the day, even if they personally disagree with them. Really? Being chided by your union to play by the rules is IMO, symptomatic of a wider problem: which has to do with the erosion of public service neutrality and the related tradition of public servants offering frank and informed advice. No doubt, the ongoing politicisation of the public service is more serious under some Ministers than others. Point being thorough: leaking is a symptom of the subversion of public service autonomy, and cracking down on it is likely to cloud our understanding of its causes. Basically….by limiting the motivation to one of personal objections held by individual public servants, the PSA did not address the more complex cases where a public servant – by helping to enact policies likely to result in harm – may feel morally compelled to disclose the relevant information. In which case…as mentioned, the whistle blowing procedures offer them little in the way of practical self-protection. Surely, transparency in government should not require martyrs. The rest seems pretty obvious. Yes, media outlets do need to be agreeing among themselves about a common response to any significant government crackdown. After all, media outlets enjoy'news break' benefits from the information leaked to them. For that reason alone, there is an obligation to protect sources by with-holding any identifying information, however it has been obtained and whatever threats get leveled at the outlets that publish leaked information. Other countries have gone further down that road. Yet the risk is that in the name of finding and punishing leakers, the ability of the Fourth Estate to carry out its watchdog role will be compromised. If so, public servants and journalists would not be the only casualties of ant crackdown conducted by the government. Henry Thomas, ace whistle blower Here we have a bulldozer and a whistleblower, both at once. The cane reeds (aka 'quills') that ancient bluesman Henry Thomas blew into – on his classic tracks like 'Fishin' Blues' and 'Going Up The Country' – belong to an Afro-American tradition dating back to the pre-Civil War era. Here's Henry Thomas doing 'Bull-Doze Blues' a track that later became a hit for 1970s blues revivalists Canned Heat, quills and all.
