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J. Stanley Pottinger, aged 84, has passed away. He was a former Nixon official who later became a novelist. Pottinger headed an investigation that uncovered the identity of ‘Deep Throat’, a mysterious figure linked to the Watergate scandal. During the investigation, the individual in question became uncomfortable when questioned about being an anonymous whistle blower.
Written by Clay Risen
J. Stanley Pottinger, a prominent official in the Department of Justice in the 1970s, was likely the only government official to discover the true identity of Deep Throat, the anonymous informant who shared important details with journalists during the Watergate scandal. Pottinger passed away at the age of 84 in Princeton, New Jersey.
Matt, the son of Mr. Pottinger, confirmed that his father passed away at a hospital due to cancer. Before his death, Mr. Pottinger had moved to South Salem, N.Y., where he became a successful novelist. He was staying in Princeton to be closer to his daughter, Katie Pottinger.
Mr. Pottinger was the highest-ranking civil rights official in the Department of Health, Education and Welfare and the Department of Justice during the administrations of Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford. When Jimmy Carter became president in 1977, he requested that Pottinger continue his role to oversee a grand jury investigation into unlawful break-ins conducted by the FBI.
While giving testimony, W. Mark Felt, who had previously served as the deputy director of the bureau under Nixon, was asked by a juror if he had helped guide journalists Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein during their investigation into the White House’s connection to a break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in the Watergate complex in Washington.
Mr. Pottinger was positioned beside Mr. Felt when he noticed a sudden paleness in his face.
Mr. Felt requested that he say the question again.
Mr. Pottinger inquired about whether he was the anonymous source known as Deep Throat
Mr. Felt hesitated before answering with a negative response.
Mr. Pottinger said in 2005 that he immediately recognized Deep Throat based on his behavior.
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