Free Republic

<p>January 23, 2003 -- Former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter yesterday suggested that court-sealed details of his Internet sex-sting arrest were intentionally leaked to sabotage his planned peace mission to Iraq.</p> <p>Because of "the timing" of the leak - about "something that occurred nearly two years ago" - he had to cancel his trip to Baghdad, where he planned to advise Iraqi officials on ways to avoid a conflict with the United States.</p>

Former U.N. weapons inspector Scott Ritter is finally admitting he was arrested a year and half ago by police in upstate New York, but refuses to disclose if it had anything to do with looking to meet underage girls from the Internet. Scott Ritter mug shot (courtesy WNYT-TV) Ritter made an appearance tonight on "CNN Newsnight with Aaron Brown," but was evasive on questions dealing with reports he was caught in a police sex-sting operation. "I was arrested in June 2001, charged with a Class B misdemeanor," said Ritter. "I stood before a judge and the case was dismissed. The...

Coming up on Aaron Brown on CNN within ten minutes.

Much has been chatted (see, i.e., Raimundo's latest screed, but also including thinkers on the right) about how Ritter was "set up" in an oh-so-obvious attempt to silence a Bush critic.Putting aside the problem of TIMELINES and CAUSE-EFFECT metaphysical problems with that critique, I want to address another problematic aspect -- that the critics think that punishing an "attempt" crime is overreaching, and hence it is evidence of police conspiracy. Thes critics fundamentally misunderstand the notion and retionale for criminalizing "attempted crimes' in our criminal law system. "Attempt" crimes are a morally legitimate and necessary part of the criminal law...

Okay. Someone has to do this so that we can keep track. On this thread, please give links for all the stories in print, in the news, on the radio, on the TV, and on the internet about Scott Ritter and the possible arrest.