But why should they be going to such lengths to protect his identity?
Is he more important in American history, post-1968, than he appears at first impression?
They are protecting his identity because...like all the other redactions and omissions they have dragged their feet on revealing, it has all been for one reason: it is damaging to them.
So they obfuscate, hoping to muddy the waters enough to confuse the public.
And...Halper is hiding in plain sight, IMO. He worked for Nixon, Ford, Reagan and Bush, I believe, doing various tasks including opposition research. Which makes me believe all the more this is a bipartisan swamp job on Trump.