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CNN Live At Daybreak

Congressman Gary Condit Made Dumpster Visit Before Apartment Search

Aired July 20, 2001 - 07:02   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Police working the Chandra Levy case reveal a new twist involving Congressman Gary Condit.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken worked late on a tip about the congressman seen at a Virginia trash Dumpster.

Good morning, Bob.

Was this the day of the search of his apartment?

(CROSSTALK)

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: The night of the search, about four hours before the search, actually, which was on July 10. It turns out that Congressman Gary Condit was spotted by somebody who recognized him from all the TV coverage, in Alexandria, Virginia, dropping something into a garbage can. It was retrieved after police were called. The police checked and were able to trace it to a woman who said that it was a gift from her.

Authorities continue to say, however, that they do not believe that he was a suspect in the Chandra Levy case. The watchband was not connected to Chandra Levy. They say they have no knowledge that he had any involvement in the disappearance of Chandra Levy -- Carol.

LIN: So the bottom line in this matter, does this have anything to do with the bigger picture of the investigation in finding Chandra Levy.

FRANKEN: It doesn't seem to -- Carol.

LIN: All right, well what about the call from Bob Barr for an Ethics Committee investigation of Condit?

FRANKEN: First he said Condit should resign. Secondly, he went to the House Ethics Committee to ask for that investigation. But as usual, the committee said that at the moment it was going to postpone any action. It was going to defer to the police investigation that's going on right now.

LIN: Bob, one thing I can't quite reconcile in my own mind, why is it that police sources are leaking information about little tidbits about this investigation or what they find about Gary Condit if he's not a suspect.

FRANKEN: The police in Washington, D.C., for better or worse -- and they're criticized, to some degree, for this -- believe that the public has a right to know as much as possible about an investigation that is as prominent as this, as much as can be known without compromising the investigation.

In fact, the police intend to release, perhaps Monday, some more information from the computer that Chandra Levy was using on the last day that she logged in, in the hope that the public will have its memory jogged -- somebody out there will -- because of the public disclosure, and it might aid in the investigation.

LIN: Thank you very much, Bob Franken. I know it's been a long night for you. Good to see you.

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