Attorney general: If Craigslist wins a 'Murder for Hire' section may be next

If you recall, back in May South Carolina’s Attorney General Henry McMaster threatened Craigslist with investigation for availability of pornographic and under-the-table pay-for sexual services.

Read more stories on this subject in our Craigslist topic page.Craigslist didn't take to kindly to the notion and sued McMaster's office.

Well, now McMaster has had a motion filed to dismiss Craigslist's suit. Part of the argument is a state vs. federal debate, but more interesting is this logic; from the papers:

If Plaintiff prevails in this action, however, its websites will become the functional equivalent of the “Wild West” with the only law being the federal marshal, who enforces federal law when he happens to pass through town. Plaintiff will be free to develop categories such as “Murder for Hire,” “Preferred Prostitutes,” or “Drug Supermarket,” with absolute impunity, and states will be helpless to stop the resulting destruction and chaos within their borders.

There's a big difference between offering an open forum for pick-up-bar like "erotic services" section and actively encouraging prostitution.

But at this point, I've given up hope on our state leaders being able to see the difference. Might as well make computers illegal as they facilitate Craigslist.

If you want to know the detail about what's going on, I suggest The Charleston Regional Business Journal's write-up.