First, Ritter wasn't set up, he did this all on his own.
As far as the timing....I'm very surprised that the liberal media could cover this up for as long as they did, almost two years.
I suspect it was leaked locally, not as part as some nefarious secret national intelligence plot.
If the left was interested in maintaining his credibility, I wonder why they didn't supply him with little girls, if that's what he wants. Would probably have been a lot easier than a coverup.