UN's Ritter faced sex rap

New York Daily News ^ | 1/19/03 | Joe Mahoney

[kattracks]

ALBANY - Former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter was secretly prosecuted in Albany County in 2001 after he was snared in an Internet sex sting operation, law enforcement sources told the Daily News.

Ritter, who lives in the Albany suburb of Delmar, is now a high-profile critic of President Bush's war preparations.

He was arrested by Colonie Police in June 2001 on a misdemeanor charge after he allegedly had a sexual discussion on the Internet with an undercover investigator he thought was an underage girl, law enforcement sources disclosed on condition of anonymity.

The case was sealed, and Colonie officials declined to release the arrest records, explaining the matter was adjourned in local court in contemplation of dismissal.

The Schenectady Daily Gazette reported yesterday that Albany District Attorney Paul Clyne fired veteran Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Preiser last week for failing to inform him of the case against Ritter.

Clyne said that as a "sensitive" case, it should have been brought to his attention.

Ritter, who has made frequent appearances on network television after speaking to the Iraq National Assembly last year, could not be reached for comment.

Joe Mahoney

[slimer]

How would local cops conduct such a sting? And why would they do it? Further, what are the odds of nailing a local conviction on the internet???

I don't recall ever hearing about someone being arresting for having a sexual conversation via the internet, even if it is with a minor.

Usually LE gets the perp to meet the person they believe is a minor, and that's when the sting occurs and the person is arrested.

Maybe Scotty wouldn't take the bait so they settled for "having a sexual conversation on the internet with a person he thought was a minor". ???

[Servant of the Nine]

Why would Assistant District Attorney Cynthia Preiser attempt to hide this? Was she paid? Is she really, really good friends with Ritter?

Why did Albany District Attorney Paul Clyne fire her? What does Paul Clyne know that we don't?

Because she is a screaming anti-Bush Liberal who didn't want him to lose credibility.

Because she made him look foolish for not being in the know.

SO9

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, Framed but Guilty is still Guilty... who cares how or why the info was leaked, if he's guilty, THAT is what matters. Bottom line.

[texasbluebell]

Well, well, well! What have we here?

[Grampa Dave]

That is the nice thing about being an American, you can be the only one that thinks/feels that Ritter was framed.

Thats fine. Just expect the rest of us to buy into your thesis.

The rest of us recognize a typical left wing scam that has just been exposed. If we had a real media, this thing would be really exposed. The Clintoons have been doing things like this going back to when Bubba was the AG for Arkrazy. It is called entice, entrap, document the aberramt behavior and then blackmail your former opponent into being your ally!

One question, who did you vote for in the 2000 and 1996 elections?

[MinuteGal]

I betcha Scott Ratter would have been a speaker at the Traitors Rally in DC yesterday if he had not just been outed.

Leni

[Amelia]

1. They want the dissent for some reason. Setting up your own opposition can be an interesting and useful tactic sometimes.

I suppose. Looks like someone more credible than Ritter (i.e. someone who hadn't done a complete flip-flop on positions) might be more useful.

2. Democrats would want Ritter to speak out against Bush.
3. An anti-war force within the government would want Ritter to speak out against war with Iraq.

Which goes back to Miss Marple's theory about Hillary: Clinton might have wanted someone saying Saddam isn't all that bad, to justify his own lack of action in 1998.

[W04Man]

Ok, when is Scott going to rebut this? Is that in the press yet?
Has anyone seen any comments from his buddy Hack?
We should give Scott a chance to rebut. Right?

[Chad Fairbanks]

He DID rebut it: "It wasn't me... it was the one-armed man!" or somethign to that effect...

[b4its2late]

I guess it explains his recent lefty leanings.....

[geedee]

I like how your noodle wanders. You might be on to something.

[ErnBatavia]

"Thank heaven for little girls....:

[Republic of Texas]

All socialists are hypocrites, they have to be because socialism historically ALWAYS FAILS. It's nothing for a network to put a liar and hypocrite on TV, all their Dem & RINO buddies are just that, liars and hypocrites.

[Capt. Tom]

She was only 14 but she had the body of a 10 year old.

[debg]

"A 46-year-old Delmar man was indicted Friday on rape and other felony counts for allegedly having sex with a girl under 17 and taking pictures of naked girls at his home. A search of Smith's home turned up photographs of naked children and Internet pornography. (The Times Union (Albany, NY), 7/28/01, HEADLINE: Delmar man indicted on child sex charges; Albany Prosecutor says defendant raped, took pictures of teens)" http://www.safeplace.net/ccv/bulletin/2001-08-21.htm

scott's neighbor? same sting?

[DAnconia55]

you can be the only one that thinks/feels that Ritter was framed.

Framed AND Guilty. That is, they knew about his online activities and set him up to be caught for political reasons. An important distinction.

The rest of us recognize a typical left wing scam that has just been exposed. If we had a real media, this thing would be really exposed. The Clintoons have been doing things like this going back to when Bubba was the AG for Arkrazy. It is called entice, entrap, document the aberramt behavior and then blackmail your former opponent into being your ally!

Yes Newbie, thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't aware of it.

[Chad Fairbanks]

It's possible that SAddam promised him 70 virgins, but he didn't realize he'd have to be dead before he could enjoy them?

[DAnconia55]

Maybe Scotty wouldn't take the bait so they settled for "having a sexual conversation on the internet with a person he thought was a minor". ???

Doesn't make sense. Consider the theories of others here. He did it, and is guilty, and the government didn't have anything to do with it.

According to them, Scotty took the bait, often.

I'm still leaning towards guilty, but entrapped for political reasons.

[Grampa Dave]

So who did you vote for President in 2000 and 1996 you old timer?:)

[texasbluebell]

Rarely is a criminal caught for his/her first criminal act.

Exactly!

And isn't this now the old, old story? An eminently blackmailable official falls prey to any number of foreign/domestic attempts to recruit him? Ah, the story is finally beginning to make sense.

Just last week some of us were talking about his motives (once again) and someone made the comment that he was just too impassioned on tv last week to be doing this just for money.

Well, Scotty, time to get out of town. Your days of shilling for Saddam are effectively over.