Retired FBI agent Robert D’Amico has weighed in on the recent search of former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter’s home, saying that Ritter’s failure to register as a foreign agent may be at the heart of the investigation. According to D’Amico, the Foreign Agents Registration Act requires individuals who speak on behalf of another country to declare their status, including their compensation and activities.
Ritter, who has made pro-Russian comments about the war in Ukraine, claims that he is being targeted for his efforts to improve US-Russia relations and promote arms control. However, D’Amico notes that while expressing opinions is not a crime, acting on behalf of a foreign government without proper registration can be.
The distinction, D’Amico explains, lies in whether an individual is speaking freely or at the behest of a foreign power. “If you’re saying it because a foreign government is telling you to say it, and they’re telling you who to talk to, that’s when it becomes a crime,” he says.
Ritter’s recent activities, including his plans to attend an economic forum in Russia, may have crossed the line from free speech to prosecutable action. The State Department’s seizure of Ritter’s passport in June may have been triggered by intercepted communications or other evidence of his dealings with Russia, according to D’Amico.
