Scott Ritter, a vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy, experienced a warranted search of his property on August 7, as federal agents removed boxes of evidence from his home. Ritter informed the media that the warrant was linked to his career as a writer and that legal authorities were examining potential contraventions of the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). FARA compels representatives of international interests to register their activities with the U.S. Department of Justice. Despite the circumstances, Ritter was adamant that his conduct did not infringe upon FARA.
‘I want to clarify, I have not broken the Foreign Agents Registration Act,’ Ritter declared. He expressed hope that the executed search and the consequent seizure of materials would quickly dispel any theory of his violation. He voiced concerns over the possible suppressive impact on freedom of speech following such intrusive instances. The FBI’s Evidence Recovery Team was tasked with handling two dozen boxes filled with potential evidence.
Investigators were authorized to conduct a search for electronic evidence. Flanked by the New York State Police, they reached Ritter’s Dover Drive residence in unmarked vehicles and with specially darkened windows just prior to midday. Stationing themselves in front of the suburban dwelling, a dark SUV served as a barrier for the two cars in the double-wide driveway.
Indirect indications of the search were visible from the exterior of the two-story colonial house. An overhead room light, seen through a lightly veiled window, suggested ongoing activities within the premises. Ritter, a former U.S. Marine Corps intelligence officer and United Nations weapons inspector, has been known in recent years for his outspoken views on U.S. foreign policy, in particular regarding Iraq and recent developments in the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
Ritter’s career trajectory began with the U.S. Marine Corps, where he held a position as an intelligence officer. His stint in military intelligence enriched his understanding of global security intricacies and the nuances of U.S. defense policy. In the 1990s, his career path led him to join the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM), responsible for investigating Iraq’s potential for creating weapons of mass destruction after the Gulf War.
While serving on UNSCOM, Ritter played a central role in supervising efforts to maintain Iraqi disarmament, as per United Nations Security Council resolutions. His commitment to the job led to a reputation for being resolute, meticulous, and unyielding. It was a tenacity that often brought him face-to-face with Iraqi officials, and even dissenting views within the UN and U.S. government.
Ritter did not hesitate to voice his critique against political intrusions into inspections, especially from the U.S. He accused the latter of manipulating the inspections as a cover for sustaining sanctions, and potentially legitimizing militaristic action against Iraq. Ritter’s pivotal role came into focus during the prelude to the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
He openly challenged the Bush administration’s argument that Iraq harbored WMDs, contending that the supporting evidence did not justify war. Ritter insisted that by the late 1990s, Iraq had been thoroughly disarmed, and the advocacy for war was based on misleading intelligence. This stance made him a figure of controversy: some hailed him as a brave whistleblower, while others criticized him as naive or politically driven.
Even after leaving UNSCOM, Ritter vociferously opposed U.S. foreign policy, writing books and frequently participating in media discussions about his standpoints. He has remained consistent in his criticism of U.S. military interventions and continues to voice his views on international security matters, often challenging the conventional narratives around U.S. foreign policy.
In a noteworthy incident in June, Ritter declared that Customs and Border Protection had seized his passport at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport. He was on route to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum in Russia. He criticized the CBP for failing to neither present a warrant nor clarify the reason for acting as they did.
‘I am being targeted because I endeavored to enhance U.S.-Russia relations, to promote arms control, to advocate for peace,’ Ritter explained at the Wednesday briefing. ‘It seems these attempts irk certain players in the U.S. government.’ Ritter’s critiques extend even to U.S. involvement in Israel-Palestine disputes. In a YouTube program called ‘Judging Freedom’, Ritter labeled Israel as resembling the ‘worst incarnation’ of Nazi Germany, citing allegations of rapes of political prisoners by Israeli soldiers.
The night before the warranted search, Ritter had posted a picture of himself with presidential candidate Robert Kennedy Jr., who faced legal issues related to his residency in New York. Ritter frequently features on Kennedy’s podcast. Despite the incident, Kennedy remained silent on social media but has previously expressed his admiration for Ritter’s perspectives on foreign policy.
Ritter chose not to comment on the search during his podcast, which aired a few hours post-incident. Instead, he addressed the ordeal of one of his guests, a Russian national formerly detained by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. He did, however, hint to his recent encounter, stating, ‘I have experienced the American justice system.’
Ritter’s history with legal issues dates back to 2001 when he was entangled in a sting operation initiated by Colonie police. He had attempted to meet a supposedly 16-year-old girl, only to confront an undercover officer. The case was dismissed following rollout in contemplation of dismissal. Less than ten years later, Ritter faced analogous legal issues when he was convicted in 2011 for performing explicit acts in front of a webcam, under the impression of communicating with a 15-year-old girl, who was also an undercover officer.