Trump's mythical justice system and the whistleblower's disguise

BY NORA V. DEMLEITNER, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR — 10/19/19 12:00 PM EDT

... Trump does not have a right to confront the whistleblower right now. If this case were in court, his threats would give the judge reason to put restrictions on his access to the witness. In organized crime trials and congressional hearings, our institutions have developed the tools to shield witnesses to defend the rule of law.

Investigators drive an investigation. Once they have amassed evidence, the prosecution steps in. During this process, a suspect has none of the rights the president asserts.

A suspect can opt to cooperate, in hopes of averting an indictment, or refuse to do so. The latter is the path the president has chosen. That gives him no special protections.

There is no right to confront any witness during an investigation. And our criminal justice process limits that right later if the defendant or his consorts appear to threaten a witness. Those procedures were developed and tested during organized crime trials ...

https://thehill.com/opinion/criminal-justice/466572-president-trumps-mythical-justice-system-and-the-whistleblowers