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American Morning

More Trouble For Congressman Condit

Aired August 27, 2001 - 11:36   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.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: Just what Gary Condit doesn't need: More trouble. After a series of interviews that analysts are calling nothing short of disastrous. A woman who claims that she was Condit's lover is going to ask a grand jury to indict the congressman.

Our national correspondent Bob Franken is on the Condit watch, if you will. He is standing by in Modesto, California. Bob?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: And the lawyer for Anne Marie Smith will be going to this courthouse, the Stanislaus County Courthouse, and taking advantage of a peculiarity in the California law which allows a lawyer or an individual to petition a grand jury to open a criminal investigation.

The charge against Congressman Gary Condit, subornation of perjury, meaning he attempted to cause perjury on the part of Anne Marie Smith, a flight attendant who claims she had a relationship with Congressman Gary Condit. A relationship, he says, did not exist.

She is saying that she was asked by Condit to file an affidavit, a sworn statement, denying that relationship, and that was the subornation of perjury. Now it is an interesting quirk in the law, as I mentioned a moment ago, the lawyer, James Robinson, is taking advantage of a peculiarity in California law.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES ROBINSON, ANNE MARIE SMITH'S ATTY.: We are talking about a crime here. All people are equal before the law. There's multiple jurisdiction in here. There's not just jurisdiction on the suborning of perjury and obstruction of justice in Washington, D.C. Most of these acts happened in the state of California. California law has jurisdiction, venue is proper in Stanislaus County, and that's why we are here in Stanislaus County. This is the jurisdiction of interest, and that's why we are here.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: And of course this is Modesto, California, the home of Gary Condit, where he is right now, and also the home of Chandra Levy who has been missing from Washington, D.C. for about four months. Leon?

HARRIS: Very much. Bob Franken in Modesto, California. TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com