Letter: Anonymous writer may be Newhouse

There has been a good bit of speculation about the authorship of the editorial in the New York Times anonymously written by an administration “insider.” I’m wondering about Rep. Dan Newhouse in this regard.

Mr. Newhouse, of course, is no White House insider, but this could be misdirection aimed at concealing his authorship. There are a few clues.

First, the op-ed author seems torn between doing what is right and what is expedient, revealing a modicum of ethical concern. Second, the author clearly states that the Oval Office occupant is without moral boundaries, revealing a grasp of the obvious. Third, Mr. Newhouse has cleverly avoided any interaction with his constituents, making it difficult to compare his language usage in the op-ed with his public utterances.

While Mr. Newhouse is not directly involved with the machinations within the White House, those who are involved need a go-between in order to maintain deniability. When an official such as James Mattis wants to collude with, say, John Kelly, he may channel his thoughts through Mr. Newhouse. Better safe than sorry. While I can’t say for sure that Mr. Newhouse has sung like a canary, it would certainly be a feather in his cap.