Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Sunday Morning

Condit Interviewed by Police for Third Time

Aired July 08, 2001 - 09:00   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.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, we begin this hour with the new in the Chandra Levy missing persons case. For weeks Congressman Gary Condit has said through his aides that he and Levy were just friends. Now a source tells CNN that Condit told Washington police last night he was romantically involved with the former intern.

CNN's Bob Franken has been following the story. He joins us now from Washington. Good morning, Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Kyra. And it's a story that we've gotten from police sources that Congressman Condit in fact did tell them under direct questioning that there was that relationship.

Assistant Police Chief Terrance Gainer told reporters that Condit seemed relieved to get this phase of the investigation behind him but it took three times.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TERRANCE GAINER, ASSISTANT CHIEF, METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT: The congressman, with his attorney present, answered every question that we put to him. And so he clarified those issues that we needed some more information about and we were comfortable with his answers.

FRANKEN (voice-over): Police would not say publicly but law enforcement sources tell CNN that one answer Congressman Condit gave contradicts earlier public denials. He now admitted to investigators he did have a romantic relationship with Chandra Levy. The 24-year- old former intern disappeared more than nine weeks ago.

Condit was interviewed Friday night in Washington. It was his third police interview.

GAINER: It was a good hour and a half productive meeting. And the congressman was not a suspect before the meeting, he was not a suspect during the meeting and he is not a suspect since the meeting.

FRANKEN: Assistant Washington Police Chief Terrance Gainer told reporters that investigators have subpoenaed a wide range of records in this case. Among them, phone and financial records. The routine mechanism in Washington is to process these subpoenas through any sitting Grand Jury. But to clear up some confusion, contrary to some published reports: GAINER: There either is no sitting Grand Jury, the congressman is not under investigation and we wouldn't need the forced testimony because the congressman has been cooperating with us and lent the clarity that we need.

FRANKEN: Abbe Lowell and the rest of Condit's team have bitterly complained about the media emphasis on the relationship between Chandra levy and Condit.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

FRANKEN: Now, Abbe Lowell has complained about the fact that the preoccupation with the romantic relationship. The Lowell forces -- the Condit forces -- say what they want to emphasize is what Chief Gainer said and that is, "I don't believe he had anything to do with it," that being Chandra Levy's disappearance. Kyra?

PHILLIPS: All right, Bob Franken, thanks so much. And coming up in just a few minutes, a special Sunday edition of our Reporter's Notebook. Bob will take your e-mail questions about the ongoing investigation and latest developments in the Chandra Levy case including the media's handling of the story. So go ahead and e-mail us now -- here's the address -- it's wam, wam@cnn.com.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com