Posted on 01/19/2003 1:15:49 AM PST by 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
No more UN for US-list
If people want on or off this list, please let me know.
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?
My EXACT QUESTIONS. From the short article, I can't tell if Clyne is mad that he wasn't told because it didn't give him the opportunity to QUASH all records that might leak out someday, or mad because he wanted the opportunity to do the leaking himself?
As an Albany County voter/resident, my early impressions of Clyne have been "He's OK for a Democrat", but that could change depending on what develops here.
Also interesting that Colonie police were involved. Ritter lives in the Town of Bethlehem (hamlet of Glenmont, not Delmar as the article states). Seems like Bethlehem police would have been brought in since I'm assuming he was caught in the sting from his home. Can't wait to see all the details come out on this one. I cringe every time I drive by that man's house.
Is she a registered Democrat?
Have the RATs known of his proclivities for a long time?
Did they use this knowledge to TURN him from back in the days when he USED to say he was inhibited in his inspections by Madwoman Allbright and the Clinton Admin?
We know it was AFTER the Biden Committee testimony, and I am pretty sure it was WHILE Fox had him as a consultant.
I heard someone from Fox, I think Brit Hume, say that he was hired but then it became apparent that his views were way out there, so they let him go.
So, we can assume that the change occurred about that time, since his views were obviously not too loony for Fox to hire him initially.
Now, what I would like to know is if his loony behavior began right after these charges were dropped, and if those charges being dropped and the file sealed were a pay-off for loony behavior, with the threat that all would be revealed if he didn't cooperate.
Furthermore, it would be interesting to know if there is ANOTHER charge elsewhere, hanging over his head. It would also be interesting to know WHO caused the case to be dropped and why this was concealed from the DA. If the assistant DA did it at directions of someone other than the DA, that would indicate reasons for her dismissal. WHO did this? (A certain junior New Yorok senator comes to mind, but heck, that may just be my tin foil tendencies.)
There appears to have been a coverup attempt.
I wonder if Preiser will spill the beans on who put her up to it.
I don't know about you, but I've never heard of a secret prosecution. I've heard of deferred prosecution, so that if someone complies with whatever terms the judge imposes for a certain length of time, the charges are dismissed. But I'd like to know what special privileges Ritter warranted to get a secret prosecution for being a pervert.
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.
Therefore, the concealment was done at the behest of someone who was a democrat.
Now, the concealment at a democrat's request shouldn't have caused the DA to go ballistic and fire the assistant...unless the concealment was both unmerited and being looked into by the feds, in which case he wants to distance himself from any of this activity.
OK, this is getting better, the more I think about it. Now, a young assistant DA, female, would only have done this if she thought there was a good enough reason...like influence, promise of a higher ranking job, etc. None of this would be forthcoming from state government, which is run by Pataki. Therefore, it had to come from someone who could offer a job outside of state government...which means FEDERAL. Since the Republicans control the executive, the ONLY place a plum could be offered would be one of the two senators' offices, both of whom are democrats.
I like logic problems.
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