Why is going to congress or any of the other federal agencies being treated as synonymous with going to a political ally of Nixon? The republicans certainly didn't control one hundred percent of the entire legislative and judicial branches for heavens sake, not even close.
I see the point you all seem to be arguing, that Felt certainly had to do something and what he did worked. It has not been shown, IMO, that it was his only choice. It was certainly a satisfying choice for a disgruntled employee and it certainly played into the hands of the anti-nixon political crowd/press very nicely, but was definitely not his only choice.
We're also forgetting that it was proven that Nixon did not in fact know about the break in until after the fact and that what he actually got in trouble for was lying to try and protect his staffers. Which is wrong in any case but hardly on par with ordering them to do what they did or even allowing it go on with foreknowledge.
Felt used his privileged position and access to strike an ideological blow. If he had tried to go through channels and been rebuffed at all turns then maybe he would have been justified in going to the press, and there'd be nothing wrong with doing it anonymously at that point. I don't think he did try to go through channels. My evidence being that if he had tried that before going to the press he would have been uncovered in about ten seconds because everyone he had gone to would recognize his statements when W&B plastered them all over the front pages. Maybe he though that out ahead of time and that's why he didn't go through channels.
In the end it just doesn't seem reasonable to me, all my experience and observation speaks against it, that the federal government was so totally in thrall to Nixon that there was no one Felt could go to.
Incidentally, I don't think the journalists should go to jail, they were acting well within the bounds of acceptable legal behavior for journalists. However, this statement I have a bit of a problem with.
He took an oath to defend the constitution as well. When his superiors are violating both the letter and spirit of the law of the land, the constitution is being pooped on. THAT is more important than the lives of people.
...
In addition, I believe Felt had a legitimate fear for his life if he announced who he was.
So by the combination of these two statements I get the impression that the constitution is worth the lives of people, but not -your- life, only other people's lives.
By this line of reasoning it is OK to anonymously blab to the press about a squad of soldiers or agents that has been sent on a covert mission in dangerous territory if you determine, all by yourself, that the president didn't have legal justification for authorizing their mission. IMO that would NOT be OK so I guess we disagree pretty diametrically on this one. (not that what Felt did was anything like that scenario but the principles involved and implied by the statement quoted are the same)
Anyway, I rambled enough.
