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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Police Take Condit Up on the Offer to Search his Apartment

Aired July 10, 2001 - 20:00   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.
WOLF BLITZER, HOST: Tonight: Police accept Congressman Gary Condit's offer to search his apartment. Chandra Levy's father suggests it's a little too late.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ROBERT LEVY, CHANDRA LEVY'S FATHER: Ten weeks ago would have been a good time, I think.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Police are also talking with Condit's attorney about a lie detector test. We'll get an update and we'll go live to Capitol Hill for reaction from Condit's colleagues.

He represented another Washington intern involved with a politician. I'll have an exclusive interview with famed defense attorney Plato Cacheris, and I'll ask him about similarities between the Chandra Levy case and the investigation of his former client, Monica Lewinsky.

Is President Bush condoning discrimination against gays to gain support for his faith-based initiative?

And she's back aboard Air Force One, Senator Hillary Clinton hitches a ride. We'll tell you why.

Good evening. I'm Wolf Blitzer reporting tonight from Capitol Hill.

There are new and dramatic developments in the case of missing Washington intern Chandra Levy. The D.C. police force is taking steps that critics say should have been taken weeks ago. And the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington is stepping in, taking its investigation to a new level. And that's our top story.

CNN national correspondent Bob Franken has been following developments from the beginning. He joins us now live with the latest -- Bob?

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: It could become legally difficult, Wolf, if the police are trying to insist they search somebody's place of residence, if they ask him to take a lie detector test or a DNA sample, that type of thing. But Abbe Lowell, attorney for Gary Condit, made it clear he wanted to cooperate with the police, would allow them to search his apartment without a warrant and would in fact negotiate with them over a polygraph test and the DNA samples. So today the police chief said this is an offer the force couldn't refuse.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CHIEF CHARLES RAMSEY, METROPOLITAN D.C. POLICE: We have spoken with Congressman Condit's attorney about the offers that were made yesterday, relative to collection of DNA samples, search of the apartment and taking a polygraph examination, and we want to take him up on that offer. So we are working with Mr. Condit's attorney in order to arrange dates, times, locations and so forth, in order to make that a reality.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Ever since according to police sources Congressman Condit told him he had in fact a romantic relationship with Chandra Levy, contrary to his public announcements, the Levy family has insisted that the congressman take a lie detector test. And the lawyer Billy Martin said this was good news.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BILLY MARTIN, LEVY ATTORNEY: This is not about the Levy family and Congressman Condit. We are tying to find Chandra. We are hopeful the statements that we recently heard from the chief of police, they will accept the offer to conduct a search, and will accept the offer from Congressman Condit to take a lie detector test, will in some way further the investigation, and take down -- excuse me, cut back on any credibility issues we feel the congressman has from not coming forward earlier. It's been 11 weeks. So we are glad to have the information.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

FRANKEN: Now the fact is that the polygraph test requires some negotiation, but a statement was put out on behalf of Abbe Lowell by his public relations person, saying Mr. Lowell would not have made the offer he made last night if it were not serious. The police have decided to take him up on it. And details will be worked out.

And police officials say, Wolf, that they want these things worked out in the next couple of days.

BLITZER: Bob, what is happening with the flight attendant Anne Marie Smith and the questioning we are expecting her to undergo by the U.S. Attorney's office in Washington?

FRANKEN: That interview with the U.S. Attorney is expected tomorrow. As a matter of fact Anne Marie Smith and her attorney are on their way to Washington. This is all about the affidavit that she claims Congressman Condit asked her to sign, a false affidavit, sworn statement, in which she would have claimed she did not have a romantic relationship with Condit, romantic relationship she said that she did have. Congressman Condit denies that there was any effort to get her to lie under oath.

BLITZER: Bob Franken, once again on top of the story. Thank you so much for joining us.

Gary Condit has been keeping a low profile here on Capitol Hill. That's why there was so much attention focused today on a meeting of the so-called Blue Dog Democrats, a conservative group he co-founded. Joining me now is CNN Congressional correspondent Jonathan Karl.

What happened at that meeting, Jon?

JONATHAN KARL, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, it was a press conference called to talk about the issue of energy, of course, the issue of paramount importance to Gary Condit. Two things happened: One, Gary Condit was a no-show at the press conference, and two, those Blue Dogs -- and those are Gary Condit's political soul mates on Capitol Hill, the people he is closest to -- they passed up every opportunity to say anything by way of defense of Gary Condit's handling of the Chandra Levy matter.

BLITZER: What are other Democrats saying here?

KARL: The most interesting development there came from Dianne Feinstein, senator, fellow Democrat from California. She came forward, became the first high-profile person on Capitol Hill, member of Congress, to call on Condit to come forward and tell all publicly about his relationship with Chandra Levy.

She said told CNN she gave this message to Condit privately about three weeks ago. She said -- quote -- "I thought he should go public with it, that I thought he should step forward and say whatever it was they had between them."

Feinstein now says she is disappointed Condit has not taken her advice.

BLITZER: There has been some speculation that the House Ethics Committee might get involved and start its own investigation.

KARL: We have no indication that any member of Congress has requested the Ethics committee to come forward with an investigation, and there's also no indication the Ethics Committee will go forward. Of course, those are private matters, they are not made public, but we are told it's not likely in this matter.

BLITZER: Jonathan Karl on Capitol Hill with me. Thank you very much.

Later in our program, parallels between the Chandra Levy and Monica Lewinsky investigations. My exclusive interview with Lewinsky's attorney, Plato Cacheris.

While the Levy case is drawing so much national and even international attention, one Chicago neighborhood is focused on two little girls, who've been missing since Friday. 10-year-old Tionda Bradley and her 3-year-old sister Diamond were last seen playing near their home on the south side. Police bloodhounds are being used to help search the area.

As President Bush today took his first trip to New York since his inauguration, the White House found itself embroiled in a controversy over his faith-based initiative. Let's go live to the White House and CNN's Major Garrett.

Major, what's going on?

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, the White House has been trying to breathe life in the president's troubled faith-based initiative but a recent attempt to build grassroots support only led to a day of damaged control.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARRETT (voice-over): The president was upbeat. But his aides scrambled to deny they cut a backroom political deal to advance Mr. Bush's faith-based initiative.

At issue, a "Washington Post" story asserting the Salvation Army agreed to lobby for the faith-based initiative, but only if the White House pushed for new federal rules to protect the Army's right to discriminate against homosexuals. The White House denied a quid pro quo, but confirmed it was reviewing federal rules covering hiring practices of the Salvation Army and other religious groups.

It's one of many legal issues embedded in Mr. Bush's drive for tax dollars to faith-based groups that provide social services.

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: The president has made it clear that he believes that organizations have the right to make hiring decisions in accordance with the Civil Rights Act.

GARRETT: Federal law allows religious groups to discriminate in hiring on the basis of sexual orientation. Mr. Bush's faith-based initiative, now pending in the House, would not only preserve that federal right, but it would also block an increasing state and local laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

A proposed regulation sent to the White House by the Salvation Army would go even further. Giving the Army and other religious groups to discriminate against homosexuals and non married heterosexual couples.

While the "Post" said the army had won White House assurances it would accept it's proposed regulations, on Tuesday a public relations specialist denied any deal.

DAVID FUSCUS, SALVATION ARMY SPOKESMAN: There was an overstatement there about White House's intention. The White House never said they were going to go do this.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GARRETT: Late Tuesday the White House announced it was killing any review of new federal regulations brought to it by the Salvation Army. But that does not end the matter at all, Wolf. As I said in my piece, the legislation now pending in the House still would preempt state and local laws dealing with discrimination against homosexuals, and that has drawn the ire of a number Democrats and this issue will continue.

BLITZER: Major, I understand the president is planning coming up here to Capitol Hill tomorrow -- why?

GARRETT: To rally House Republicans. It's all about building support for his version of the patients' bill of rights. There's a crucial vote in the House coming up within the next week or two. If the White House wins that vote, it believes it can find a midway point between the House patients' bill of rights, which offers far fewer rights to sue HMOs and the Senate bill the president has planned to veto.

This White House does not want to get caught in a veto trap, so it needs House Republicans to pass that bill, to move it on to conference, and present a bill the president can ultimately sign and get that issue not only off his back but off the back of House Republicans.

BLITZER: And Major, as you know, a lot of interest today in one of the guests President Bush had on his Air Force One flight to New York City earlier today. Tell us about that.

GARRETT: Yes, someone who you might call a frequent flier on Air Force One. Former first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, now the junior senator from New York, took her first flight aboard Air Force One, at the president's invitation, since the president became the new 43rd president of the United States.

During that flight, president came back, the two chatted and, I believe we are told, and I was told by Jim Kennedy, communications director for Senator Clinton, that during the flight the senator was ever so wistful because she often flies now on the shuttle and has to go through regular New York traffic. She enjoyed not only the Air Force One confines, but the unrestricted motorcade in and around New York -- Wolf.

BLITZER: And as you know, Major, she used to sit up-front in Air Force One.

GARRETT: Yes, she did.

BLITZER: ... and now she's sitting in the middle of the plane, a difference, but certainly better than the shuttle between Washington and New York. Major Garrett at the White House, thanks again for joining us.

The Chandra Levy case bears some resemblance to another affair, the one involving a young intern named Monica Lewinsky. I'll have an exclusive interview with Lewinsky's attorney, Plato Cacheris.

And another operation for the young victim of a shark attack. Stay with us. (COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. He's played a part in scandals going back to Watergate when he defended Attorney General John Mitchell. He cut deals for Oliver North's secretary, Fawn Hall, for CIA spy Aldrich Ames, and most recently for FBI spy Robert Hanssen. He also won immunity for another Washington intern. Are there echoes of the Monica Lewinsky affair in the Chandra Levy case?

A short while ago, I sat down for an exclusive interview with Plato Cacheris, the high-profile defense attorney here in Washington.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER (on camera): Plato Cacheris, thanks again for joining us. You were the lawyer for Monica Lewinsky, and you have represented a lot of high-profile clients, big cases. Put your legal hat on, your analytical hat, and tell us how much legal trouble potentially is Congressman Gary Condit in.

PLATO CACHERIS, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, that is obviously a very difficult question to answer, Wolf, because everybody should be concentrating on what happened to the young lady. That's the most important part of the case, and if the young lady turns up, as everybody hopes they will, I would say that the congressman is in no trouble.

And if he was not complicity in any act involving her disappearance, or if something horrid has happened to her, which we all hope it hasn't, then he's not in any legal trouble there either. So, I don't see him being at this point, from what I have read and seen, involved complicity.

BLITZER: But there have been reports that he suggested to a flight attendant, Anne Marie Smith, who says they had an affair, a long-standing romantic relationship, that he tried to get her to sign a document, an affidavit, which she says was false, denying their affair.

CACHERIS: OK. You say there have been reports. I accept what you tell me. I don't know whether those are accurate or not accurate. Somebody said that she is in town today, visiting with the prosecutors. Presumably she will tell them whether that is accurate or not.

Any time a person is being interviewed or asked to be interviewed by the authorities and someone suggests to them that they not tell the truth, that can be a problem. I don't know that it happened in this case.

BLITZER: The suborning perjury, obstruction of justice.

CACHERIS: Perjury, obstruction of justice, those are the type of things that we are talking about, but again, I can't tell you that they happened. BLITZER: She is coming to Washington to meet with representatives from the U.S. attorney's office here in the District of Columbia and she is making very forceful, you know, suggestions that he called her repeatedly, that his attorney has sent a draft affidavit, which she knew to be inaccurate, to be false, and encouraged her to sign it.

CACHERIS: Again, Wolf, you tell me these things, and I accept you as an accurate reporter. Whether they happened or not, I do not know.

BLITZER: In the Monica Lewinsky case, as you well remember, there were also suggestions that the president at the time wanted Monica Lewinsky to evade answers in the Paula Jones deposition and to sign an affidavit denying any sort of relationship. Is there a parallel potentially here between a powerful politician in that case and a young former intern, Monica Lewinsky, and politician in this case and a former intern here, Chandra Levy?

CACHERIS: Well, the parallel -- the fact that a man and a lady have a relationship, that's the parallel, I suppose. In both cases, they are both politicians and in both cases the ladies involved are interns. To that extent, there is parallel, but I don't see anything further than that.

BLITZER: It's a political parallel as opposed to a legal issue.

CACHERIS: That's right.

BLITZER: But at the same time, if you remember, the attorney representing the Levy family right now, Chandra Levy's parents, Billy Martin, a man who is a friend of yours...

CACHERIS: A friend of mine and I regard him very highly, one of the best lawyers in town.

BLITZER: He represented Monica Lewinsky's mother.

CACHERIS: That's correct.

BLITZER: ... in the whole Lewinsky affair, as it came to be called. At that time, Ken Starr, the independent counsel, wanted people to take lie detector tests, included Monica Lewinsky. The issue of a lie detector has now come up with Gary Condit. Billy Martin has asked that Gary Condit, the congressman, take a lie detector test. Is that something that should be done?

CACHERIS: That's very interesting question, and let me first say that Monica Lewinsky never took a lie detector test. I understand polygraphs are an investigative tool. They are used quite widely by the authorities.

By the same token, they are not a true measure of whether or not a person is being truthful. While they are an investigative tool, they are not a true measure of truthfulness, and for that reason, they are not admissible in court. And your question is: should he or should he not take a polygraph? First of all, it hasn't been asked that I know of, and secondly he has got a very good lawyer who is giving him directions as to what to do. Most defense lawyers will not agree to polygraphs, for the reasons I outlined, that they are just not accurate.

BLITZER: And that's why you resisted Ken Starr's request that Monica Lewinsky take a lie detector test?

CACHERIS: If he made it to us, we resisted it.

BLITZER: Even at this point, you don't want to say that? All right.

There has also been, and I know that you have a lot of Washington experience, you have seen a lot of these kinds of cases, there has been some criticism of the way the D.C. police has handled it, the way they have handled this entire investigation. It's now more than two months as of this moment, still yet to do a search of Congressman's Condit's apartment. Based on what you can tell, and obviously you're not intimately involved directly...

CACHERIS: I don't know anything about the case other than what you are telling me.

BLITZER: But as far as you can tell, has the D.C. police department done a credible job in the investigation, in the missing person's investigation?

CACHERIS: As far as I can tell, they have done a credible job. I doubt, Wolf, that they would have had a basis very early on when people are saying that the apartment should have been searched, to get a search warrant. In order to get a search warrant, you have to file an affidavit before a judge, you have to make certain allegations, you have to justify issuance of a search warrant.

At that time, I do not know of any facts that would have justified the issuance of a search warrant. I understand now though, that he -- through his lawyer he's said you can come in and search the apartment. So I wouldn't fault him for that, or fault the police for that either.

BLITZER: If you were his attorney right now, and you're obviously not, but if you were, and you've had some high-profile cases, would you advice him to speak publicly to the news media about this case, or do what he is doing, and basically speaking to the police but to no one else?

CACHERIS: Well, one of the most difficult things is for one lawyer to give advice to another lawyer when the one lawyer, me, doesn't know all the facts in the case. I could not give that advice because I don't know what he's told Abbe Lowell. Abbe is capable of deciding what is in the best interest of his client.

That's one of the problems with these long distance analysis, if you will. You do not know what the client has said. I don't know what the client has said, and for me to presume and be presumptuous about what should be done, I won't do.

BLITZER: Plato Cacheris, thanks for your legal insight.

CACHERIS: Thank you, Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Coming up Friday, part two of my exclusive interview with Plato Cacheris. We'll talk about one of his other recent high- profile cases, involving admitted FBI spy Robert Hanssen.

The streets of a Caribbean city fill with troops in an effort to restore calm. Details on the violence sweeping through a tourist destination when we return.

Also: tens of thousands of people fill the streets in Croatia. More on a celebration to welcome home a favorite son.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. Let's look at some other top stories.

One of the convicted conspirators in the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa will get life in prison with no chance of being released. The U.S. government had asked that 27-year-old Khalfan Mohamed be sentenced to death. He's one of four men convicted in a New York federal court in the bombings that killed 224 people.

Jamaica's prime minister sent troops fanning out through the capital city, Kingston, in an effort to quell several days of violence. At least 22 people have been killed in gun battles. The violence erupted after months of tension between the country's two main political parties. So far, the violence has not spread to the island's major tourist areas.

More surgery today for Jessie Arbogast, the 8-year-old boy attacked by a shark over the weekend. One of his doctors is concerned that Arbogast faces a risk of life-threatening swelling in his brain, although none has taken place yet. Arbogast was given skin grafts to the leg bitten by the shark, as well as kidney dialysis.

Clean-shaven and excited, Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic returned home to Croatia today, welcomed by thousands of his thrilled countrymen. The first-time grand slam winner was almost swallowed by the crowd at the airport. An estimated 200,000 fans were on hand. Ivanisevic won a five-set victory over Australian Patrick Rafter yesterday.

Tonight on the "leading edge": taming the Internet without giving too much control to the government. A major study says that's what people in the United States want. Pornography, violence, privacy and lack of accountability are among their biggest concerns.

Bad weather in the Atlantic ocean is keeping experts from helping a whale called Churchill. The 50-ton right whale, in waters off Cape Cod, has a heavy nylon fishing rope embedded in its jaw. The would-be rescuers wanted to sedate the whale so they could remove the rope, which has caused a serious infection. They first tried last month, and may try again tomorrow.

Up next, I'll open our mailbag. Some of you say, enough with the Chandra Levy story, but others say keep up the coverage.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. Time now to open our mailbag. Reaction to the Chandra Levy case continues to be intense. This from Richard in Hawaii: "Let's face fact. Washington, D.C., including its police department, is totally dependent upon Congress for funding... how can anyone expect a hardnose police response when they, the police, know that their bread and butter depend upon members of Congress."

Roy in Maryland: "The Levy case is just another example of the type of people we have in Washington. They never tell the truth unless they are cornered."

Keith in Minnesota: "Here we go again. First it was O.J., then the Ramseys, and now we have the Levy family on the television before us nonstop. It's a sad case, yes, but please get perspective."

Juan in Puerto Rico writes: "I encourage you not to let up on the Chandra Levy case. This is another sick example of how public officials betray the confidence we bestow upon them."

Remember, I want to hear from you. Please e-mail me at wolf@cnn.com or go to our Web site, cnn.com/wolf. And while you're there, send us your questions on missing persons for tomorrow night's guest, the host of "America's Most Wanted," John Walsh. We'll try to have him answer some of the questions on-air.

Please stay with CNN throughout the night. Bill Bennett is Larry King's guest at the top of the hour. Up next, Greta Van Susteren. She's standing by to tell us what she has -- Greta.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST, "THE POINT": Wolf, we have a great show tonight. We have Dominic Dunn, who's written another book. He knows more about criminal trials than anybody. I'm going to ask him a little bit about what he thinks about this investigation in Chandra Levy's disappearance.

Plus, republican congressman from the state of Oregon and the San Francisco bureau chief, who is here in Washington -- Wolf.

BLITZER: A full show. Sounds good, Greta. I'll be watching.

Tomorrow night, as I mentioned, John Walsh, the host of "America's Most Wanted." Until then, thanks very much for watching. I'm Wolf Blitzer on Capitol Hill. "THE POINT WITH GRETA VAN SUSTEREN" begins right now.

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