Silent Coup
 | |
| Author | Len Colodny, Robert Gettlin |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Subject | Watergate scandal |
| Publisher | St. Martin's Press |
Publication date | January 1992 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover) |
| Pages | 580 pages |
| ISBN | ISBN 978-0312927639 Parameter error in {{ISBNT}}: invalid character |
| OCLC | 22493143 |
Silent Coup is a 1992 book by Len Colodny and Robert Gettlin in which they contend that former Nixon White House counsel John Dean orchestrated the 1972 Watergate burglary at Democratic National Committee headquarters to protect his future wife, then named Maureen Biner, by removing information linking her to a call-girl ring that worked for the DNC. The authors also argued that Alexander Haig was not Deep Throat but was a key source for Bob Woodward, who had briefed Haig at the White House in 1969 and 1970.
Reviews and reception
Silent Coup was described as one of "the most boring conspiracy books ever written" filled with "wild charges and vilifications" by The Washington Post. [1]
The New York Times Book Review attacked Silent Coup's argument that Nixon was "an innocent victim" and said it showed "a stunning ignorance of how the Government under Mr. Nixon operated."[1]
Silent Coup was on the New York Times bestseller list for 12 weeks and sold more than 100,000 copies.[1]
Lawsuits
In 1992 John and Maureen Dean sued Liddy for libel. The case was dismissed without prejudice and was later refiled. In 2001 a federal judge declared a mistrial Thursday and dismissed the $5.1 million defamation lawsuit.[2]
The Deans also sued St. Martin's Press, publisher of Silent Coup. St. Martin's settled the case for an undisclosed sum.[2]
In 2001, former DNC secretary Ida Wells sued Gordon Liddy in US District Court in Baltimore on the same basis as Dean had, the court declared a mistrial. Several jurors said they considered Liddy’s theory "plausible."[3][4]
References
- ^ a b c Lardner Jr., George (1997-07-23), "Watergate Libel Suit Settled", Washington Post, retrieved 2007-10-01.
- ^ a b "Liddy Case Dismissed Jury Unable To Reach A Verdict After Deliberating 8 Hours". CBS News. 2001.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "G. Gordon Liddy Gives First Testimony on Watergate Break-In". New York Times. 2001.
{{cite journal}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|coauthors=(help); Unknown parameter|month=ignored (help) - ^ "Mistrial declared in defamation suit against Liddy". Associated Press. 2001.
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