...as an interesting aside: Scott Ritter hails from the area I live
in. About two years ago, he was arrested on charges involving the
"procurement" of an under-age female, over the internet. A member of
the NY DA's office offered a dismissal, based upon lack of evidence.

A dismissal based on "lack of evidence" is pretty darn close to a complete
exoneration. "We're going to charge you with doing this, but we don't have any
evidence that you did" IOW, political grandstanding.

Once the deal was accepted, the DA's assistant was fired.

Must be a liberal plot. Or the assisstant DA tried too hard to make a case
where none existed. Opinions will vary based upon political perspective. :-)