WednesdaySep25,2019at12:01AM

The Trump Administration increasingly appears as the Fifth Amendment administration. Despite a statutory obligation to turn over an intelligence whistleblower report to the Congressional Intelligence Committees, it refuses to do so. And despite a statutory obligation to turn over the president's tax returns to the House Ways and Means Committee, it refuses to do so.

President Trump refused Special Counsel Robert Muller's request for an interview, instead sending responses to his questionnaire that omitted many answers. His administration has blocked Congressional subpoenas for numerous administration officials and others, like Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, who refuse to comply with subpoenas.

Why the obstruction? Because the administration has things to hide. As the Fifth Amendment formula goes: "I refuse to answer on the grounds that it might tend to incriminate me." This is how Trump and his administration increasingly appear. But the Fifth Amendment gives this right only to an individual who may not "be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself." But they are an administration, not criminal defendants (not yet, anyway). Our representatives, or the public, have every right to answers.

Larry Koenigsberg, Eugene

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The Fifth Amendment administration - Opinion - The Register-Guard