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CNN Live At Daybreak

The Search for Chandra: Condit to Talk With FBI

Aired July 25, 2001 - 07:01   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.
COLLEEN MCEDWARDS, CNN ANCHOR: Congressman Gary Condit is going to talk with the FBI as part of the Chandra Levy case.

CNN correspondent Bob Franken joins us from Washington now with the very latest -- Good morning Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Well, good morning, Colleen.

And the very latest is, is that Congressman Condit's lawyer, Abbe Lowell, has agreed with FBI investigators that he will participate with an FBI profiler. This is a person who comes up with a psychological profile of somebody in a case. The profiler wants to know the state of mind of Chandra Levy when she disappeared. And Condit is going to participate now that he has admitted to investigators -- according to police sources -- that he did have a romantic relationship with Chandra Levy.

The question is: Will Washington, D.C. police be part of that interview? The next question is, if not, will they get the interview that they want with Condit to discuss other aspects of the case -- in particular, the gaps in his timeline on May 1, the last day that people were able to account for Chandra Levy? And they also want to ask him about why he disposed of a watch case that belonged to a woman who had given it to him as a gift.

These are questions that would not be answered, of course, to Washington, D.C. police if they did not participate in that interview. There is some sentiment among the Condit people that in fact they would not have to do the Washington, D.C. police interview.

Now, Condit is running into some trouble on Capitol Hill. And it's trouble that's coming from one of his closest associates -- Congressman Charles Stenholm. Stenholm is one of the founders, along with Congressman Condit, of the Blue Dog Coalition. This is the organization of conservative Democrats. Stenholm, with the request of a local newspaper, has put out a statement in which he says: "Through his actions and behaviors, Congressman Condit has brought controversy and discredit to his family, his district and the Congress."

Now, this is a very loaded bit of language, because House rules, specifically House Rule 43, Clause 1, states: "A member, officer or employee of the House of Representatives shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner which shall reflect creditably on the House of Representatives."

Congressman Stenholm is in effect accusing Condit of violating House rules. And again, this is not an adversary of Condit. As you can see here, the two of them sit together in the House Agriculture Committee meetings. They consult a lot. They are very close.

We have been told, however, by Stenholm's office that No. 1, Stenholm did not consult with Condit about putting out this statement and has not discussed his feelings on the matter with Congressman Condit -- Colleen.

MCEDWARDS: Bob Franken, thanks very much.

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