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CNN Live At Daybreak
The Search for Chandra: Will Congress Punish Gary Condit?
Aired August 01, 2001 - 07:08 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: Washington police and the FBI are looking into a possible new lead in the Chandra Levy case. A man who makes keys in a hardware says that Levy came into his store during the first week of May. That is after her last reported sighting.
John Woodfolk says Levy had keys made, paid with a credit card, but police say they have found no record of that.
Meanwhile, D.C. police have wrapped up their search of area parks.
This as Levy's parents try to keep interest alive in the search for her daughter.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SUSAN LEVY, CHANDRA'S MOTHER: It's very hard -- very, very difficult. It's hard to get up in the morning. It's hard to get started. It's hard to face a new day. It's hard to put make-up on and just go out and plan things. It's very difficult.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Do you still think there are people that who know answers -- or know things they're not willing to say at this point?
SUSAN LEVY: Yes, you're going into the direction of territory that you have to tread lightly in answering. But I believe that, yes, there are people out there who may have answers. Yes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MCEDWARDS: And Levy's mother said publicly for the first time yesterday that Chandra did confide in her about her affair with Congressman Gary Condit. And of course, the pressure on Congressman Gary Condit continues on that issue -- on the affair.
Some representatives have suggested that he resign or at least go ahead and speak to his constituents. And they have also suggested that while he is not believe to be involved in Chandra Levy's disappearance -- that's what the police say -- that they feel he didn't come clean with police -- didn't cooperate quickly enough.
But will his critical colleagues ever actually punish him? Well, one way to do it is through an ethics investigation. And here to talk about that is Kendall Coffey, former U.S. attorney. You may remember him when he represented the Miami relatives of Elian Gonzalez.
Mr. Coffey, thanks for being here this morning.
KENDALL COFFEY, FORMER U.S. ATTORNEY: Thanks, Colleen.
MCEDWARDS: Who can actually start an ethics proceeding against a member of Congress?
COFFEY: It can be brought by a member of the House. It can also be brought by an individual. For example, of constituent of Gary Condit or even a Levy family member if that complaint is certified by a member of Congress. And it...
MCEDWARDS: So the Levy -- so sorry -- the Levy family could go to a member of Congress, say we want this. If the congressperson backs them, they get an investigation.
COFFEY: That's exactly right. There is a certification as to the allegations that would be made by an individual complainant, and the congressperson would in effect be saying that this ought to be referred and considered by the committee on House ethics.
MCEDWARDS: Now, Mr. Coffey, if there is a police investigation already under way, what happens? Does the ethics investigation go ahead, or does it wait?
COFFEY: Well, one of the options that Congress has -- the House Ethics Committee has is to defer action if there is an ongoing law enforcement investigation. That appears to be what has been done up until now with the letter submitted by Congressman Barr of Georgia. The committee has determined, based on public reports of ongoing investigations, that they should stand back with respect to the allegations of obstruction.
And in a lot of ways, that's a very sensible thing to do to allow the law enforcement professionals to do their job, rather than have Congress come charging into what may be a very sensitive and complex investigation.
MCEDWARDS: I mean, I was -- just to pick up on that. I mean, I guess it's a political question, but I'll ask it anyway. What about the Bob Barr's of the world? I mean, they make the criticism, suggest he should resign. But why not, in spite of the police investigation, suggest that an ethics hearing should go ahead anyway?
COFFEY: Well, apparently Barr has taken that position and has asserted that perhaps the House itself needs to address conduct of its members.
On the other hand, look at what we are examining here. This isn't a dispute over book royalties, or a question of whether a staff member has gotten overly involved in political activities. This is obstruction of justice. These are allegations of suborn and perjury. That's the kind of sensitive matter that law enforcement really ought to be handling.
You already have the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, the D.C. Police handling this. Usually it's considered disruptive to an important law enforcement investigation to have civil, administrative or political operatives going in and investigating the same people at the same time, talking to the same people that law enforcement is trying to interview.
MCEDWARDS: OK. Understood.
Now, in an ethics investigation, though, what kinds of punishments are available at the other end of it?
COFFEY: Well, this goes right to the United States Constitution, which provides that with a two-thirds vote, the House can actually expel a member based upon sufficient allegations of misconduct. There are a lot of other lesser measures. The most recent resolutions of ethics complaints have been resolved in what's called a letter of reproval, which is a committee letter essentially making findings of official misconduct. Between a letter of reproval and expulsion are intermediate measures -- a reprimand, censure.
You may recall the case of former House speaker Gingrich, who received a reprimand and was required to pay substantial dollars representing the costs of the investigation.
MCEDWARDS: All right. Kendall Coffey, thanks very much -- appreciate it this morning.
COFFEY: Thank you, Colleen.
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