DEEP THORAT
On June1, 2005, the secret informant went public with the fact that he was Deep Throat - the secret source leaking information to two young reporters at the Washington Post during the Watergate scandal that caused the almost-certain impeachment and unprecedented resignation of President Richard Nixon.
Ninety-one-years old W. Mark Felt broke his silence in a Vanity Fair article and ended a 30-year mystery about the identity of Deep Throat. As deputy director of F.B.I with confidential information, he repeatedly helped reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein with articles that fueled the Watergate scandal.
SHALLOW COMMITMENT
As a federal employee, professional ethics required him to be committed to his F.B.I. superior and the president of the United States and precluded him from leaking classified and crucial information to Woodward and Bernstein about the involvement of presidential officials in the burglary of the Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate complex of Washington D.C. during the 1972 re-election campaign. In an interview with NBC’s “Today” show, Chuck Colson admitted that he was “in a state of shock…I never thought anybody in such a position of sensitivity in the Justice Department would breach confidences.”
However, Nixon had also taken a public vow when sworn in as president of the U.S., but his action and involvement to cover up matters of the Watergate was to the contrary.
ENDURING TRUTH
Reflecting on the recent admission of Deep Throat and on the past events of Watergate can help us better appreciate the enduring truth of several biblical principles:
First, “your sin will find you out” (Num 32:23) and “by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20)
The character and commitment of both Mark Felt and Richard Nixon to their public offices were not forth coming. Nixon denied being informed of scandalous Watergate activities and Felt regularly denied himself being Deep Throat leaking classified information to the public. Both were betrayers. Both had been found guilty for past actions: Felt for authorizing illegal break-ins unrelated to Watergate and Nixon found guilty in public opinion and forced to resign under the cloud of impeachment. Both had also been pardoned: Nixon by President Ford and Felt by President Reagan.
Second, “by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation… even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom 5:18, 21)
One of the most severe critics of Mark Felt is Chuck Colson who for a long time worked closely with Felt in the Nixon administration and expressed total surprise at the disclosure of Deep Throat.
Colson is one of the few involved in Watergate with redemption. Found guilty of obstruction of justice in the Watergate-related Daniel Ellsberg case in 1974, Charles W. Colson then special counsel to President Nixon, was the first member of the Nixon administration to be incarcerated for Watergate-related charges subsequently served seven months in prison.
After his conversion to Christian faith, Colson founded the Prison Fellowship in 1976 which has become the largest prison outreach and criminal justice reform organization internationally.
Third, “For I have no feeling of shame about the good news, because it is the power of God giving salvation to everyone who has faith…” (Rom 1:16); and “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (2Cor 5:17)
Like the Apostle Paul of old, Chuck Colson is a living testimony of the saving power of the gospel. He published his born-again testimony and other excellent Christian titles. He has been engaging in radio broadcasting ministries. He turned from serving an earthly, powerful but crooked president to the Kingdom ministry of the gospel and charity for prisoners. He no longer operated on the basis of “the end justifies the means” as did Mark Felt and others in the Watergate scandal because he is a “new creation” in Christ Jesus.
