Kennedy: You have a history of lying to your professional colleagues, don’t you?
Ritz: That’s not true, Senator.
Kennedy: Okay, do you know a former public defender named Steven Shankman?
Ritz: I knew him to a degree. I’m not sure we ever had any cases together. I knew who he was, yes.

Kennedy: Well, in a private email not meant for public consumption, to another one of your professional colleagues, this is what Mr. Shankman said, talking about your lying. He said, “It is unfortunate that this is not the first, second, third, or whatever occasion that this sort of thing has occurred. But everyone should be aware of this unfortunate pattern of behavior. You should be aware,” he said to the other lawyer, “before the other lawyer dealt with you, your client should be aware, and you should proceed with extreme caution.” Was Mr. Shankman lying?

Ritz: To the degree he suggested that I acted unethically, that was not accurate. And it wasn’t on any occasion, much less on numerous occasions.

Kennedy: Okay, let’s talk about this case, United States v. Rico Weber, which you claim to not remember. But before I do that, a few seconds ago, you lied to Senator Hawley, didn’t you?

Ritz: I’m under oath, Senator. I did not lie.

Kennedy: You said you have no knowledge of any complaint, professional complaint, made against you, didn’t you?

Ritz: I said I have no knowledge of any sort of formal complaint. And he read from a letter that I don’t believe I ever saw.

Kennedy: And you were shocked, you never heard of that before?

Ritz: If there were a formal complaint, that, as I said, I had not known about that.

Kennedy: Okay, you were amazed?

Ritz: I don’t recall any of that.
recall this, Mr. Weber, amnesia about it.

Ritz: Again, I am unaware of any formal complaint or investigation. Certainly was not.

Kennedy: You believe in the tooth fairy?

Ritz: Senator, I don’t.

Kennedy: You believe in the Easter Bunny? Now, in this case, United States v. Rico Weber, you lied to the defense council. And the defense council then had to go before the court and withdraw a plea for his counsel. And a complaint was filed, about which you apparently have amnesia. And the Justice Department replaced you. And the lawyer from the Justice Department who replaced you, this is what the lawyer said about you. So, these allegations against Mr. Ritz are “serious and it is taken so seriously,” referring to the Department of Justice by our office, “that is one of the reasons I’m here and Mr. Ritz will more than likely be taken off this case because of those allegations,” end quote. You lied to Senator Hawley, didn’t you?

Ritz: I didn’t lie to the defense council in that case. I didn’t lie today, Senator.

Kennedy: Now, my good friend Senator Rosoff asked you if you’d follow the law. And you said, “But if you’re lying to us today, we’re stuck with you, aren’t we, Senator?”

Ritz: I have not lied and did not lie in that case. You just have amnesia.

Kennedy: I did not lie in that case. There was a written plea agreement with the entire agreement of the parties. If you believe that, you believe Elvis is alive and running a small bait stand on Lake Erie

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Kennedy to Nominee: shame on you! You believe Elvis is alive? You believe in tooth fairy? Easter Bunny?