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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

Train Accident Shuts Down Downtown Baltimore; Lawmakers Outraged Over Revelations That FBI Lost Laptops, Weapons

Aired July 18, 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, a freight train carrying hazardous materials derails in a downtown Baltimore tunnel and catches fire, spewing smoke and canceling the Orioles game. Topping the FBI's "Most Wanted List," hundreds of its own guns and computers, which it seems to have lost.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. ORRIN HATCH (R), UTAH: This is simply inexcusable.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: Lawmakers are livid at the Bureau's latest bungle.

With the battle lines drawn over federal funding for human embryo stem cell research, a key Senate Republican takes sides. He's also a doctor and he has the President's ear.

As police look to the public for help in the Chandra Levy investigation, we'll look at the question of adultery in political life. And I'll ask religious broadcaster, Pat Robertson, for his thoughts on the private lives of public figures and on stem cell research.

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

There's a major change in the way FBI is investigating the Chandra Levy case. And there were fireworks here in Congress today on several fronts. We'll get to those stories in a moment, but first, we're following breaking news in Baltimore, and that's our top story.

Officials closed off several blocks of Baltimore after a train carrying hazardous materials caught fire in a tunnel. It's affected the area around Camden Yards, closing roads and forcing the cancellation of tonight's Orioles game. Thick, black smoke billowed through both ends of the tunnel, leading firefighters to order residents to shut their windows and turn off their ventilation systems. There are no reports of injuries.

The three locomotives pulling the 60-car train pulled away at the first sign of trouble. Right now, the cause is still unknown.

Stay with CNN throughout the night for more details as they become available.

And turning now to the Chandra Levy case, CNN has confirmed tonight a major change in the way the investigation is being conducted. Let's go live to CNN national correspondent Bob Franken. He's in our Washington bureau.

Bob, tell us what the latest developments are.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, as you know the FBI has been part of this investigation just about from the beginning. And it has been conducted by an unit that handles cases that are described as immediate. Well, this is stretched out over 11 weeks. So the FBI portion of the probe has been transferred to a unit that now handles long-range cases, ones that they do not expect a quick resolution.

It is going to be done that way because many of the hopes for an immediate resolution of this have not been met. This is also still a case that is being conducted by the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan police agency. That the D.C. police are the main investigators here. They're the ones who are going to be working in coordination with the FBI.

There's been quite a bit of futility. FBI and police have decided that what they need to do in the city of Washington is to restart again with their search of areas where they might find the remains of Chandra Levy. Of course, that would be the pessimistic scenario.

So for the third day, the police cadets, recruits from the police academy were out in Rock Creek Park, which is an area near Chandra Levy's apartment and other parts throughout the area, looking to see what they could find through heavy underbrush.

Now Rock Creek Park in particular had showed up on her computer the last day she used it on May 1. The police are preparing to release other sites including newspapers that she visited on the computer. Southwest Airlines, Amtrak, and also perhaps a restaurant that she looked up on the computer in a hope, Wolf, that will jog a memory of somebody who is out there, who might have seen Chandra Levy, who could perhaps help end this investigation. Wolf?

BLITZER: Bob Franken, thanks once tonight in Washington.

And police sources, of course, say Gary Condit has admitted to an affair with Chandra Levy, but while the scarlet letter brings scrutiny, it doesn't always spell the end for a politician, as CNN senior political correspondent Candy Crowley reports.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

CANDY CROWLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): There are whispers his career is over, signs of displeasure at home, sporadic suggestions he resign, but listen closely.

REP. BOB BARR (R), GEORGIA: He did not come clean with them about the extent and nature of his relationship with Ms. Levy at a crucial time in the investigation...

CROWLEY: The discussion is nuanced. The discomfort and disapproval is not, largely, about adultery. As a matter unto itself, the scarlet A has never had much bearing on the ballot box.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Whether what's been in the paper is true or not true does not necessarily affect my opinion about him as a congressman. Does it affect my opinion as to whether he makes good choices? Maybe yes.

CROWLEY: It is an attitude reflected in the Clinton-Lewinsky era, when public approval of the President's job performance stayed high and his personal approval ratings took a dive. It is an attitude reflected in the polls. As far back as 1973, 69 percent of Americans thought adultery was always wrong. This year, the number was 79 percent.

But asked in early 1999 if it was necessary to know if a presidential candidate had an extramarital affair, 65 percent of Americans said no. So while they do not approve, Americans do not see adultery in politicians as a political question, an attitude reflected in history.

Rumors about Thomas Jefferson's affair with a slave were printed during his time. He was re-elected. Both Congressman Henry Hyde and Dan Burton fessed up to extramarital affairs during the Clinton impeachment, and both were re-elected.

When careers do fall, adultery may start the process, but something else completes it. Bob Packwood resigned just ahead of expulsion, but the issue was not sex with consenting adults, but sexual harassment. When presidential candidate Gary Hart got caught with a mistress after daring reporters to follow him, the story fed into larger questions about Hart's character and recklessness. He pulled out of the race.

And during the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal, even Republicans said adultery was not impeachable. The problem, they said, was the lying under oath. In short, while Americans say they don't need or want to know about private lives of their public officials, once that knowledge is out there, voters tend to weigh it as only part of a larger picture.

Candy Crowley, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And later in our program, I'll ask religious broadcaster, Pat Robertson if Congressman Gary Condit should resign.

Here on Capitol Hill today, angry senators are been looking into the latest bungle by the FBI, and they're demanding that the beleaguered Bureau be reformed.

CNN justice correspondent Kelli Arena has the story.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLI ARENA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): FBI officials are once again in the hot seat, after revelations that hundreds of FBI weapons and laptop computers are missing or stolen, including at least one laptop that contained classified information.

HATCH: Lax administrative controls over sensitive materials like these can not be tolerated.

SEN. PATRICK LEAHY (D-VT), CHAIRMAN, JUDICIARY COMMITTEE: And somebody has to be held accountable. Who's accountable?

ARENA: The FBI is already undergoing several reviews in the wake of the Robert Hanssen spy saga and the late turnover of documents in the Timothy McVeigh case. As for this latest embarrassment, one FBI official says the Bureau knew early this year there was a problem with how it kept track of computers.

KENNETH SENSER, FBI DEPUTY ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: In a lot of cases it was impossible to make an assessment because the records were such that you could not tell whether the equipment was properly disposed or not. Who used the equipment, what it was used for and so on.

Attorney General John Ashcroft tried to downplay the issue. While admitting the equipment loss is serious, Ashcroft says he's hopeful some will be found.

JOHN ASHCROFT, U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL: Some of them may be locatable in the agency. You know the FBI has about 28,000 people in the agency and the number of weapons in the agency could be as high as you know, 50,000 weapons.

ARENA: Even so, it's just one more challenge facing FBI director nominee Robert Mueller. Senators expect he'll make reform his top priority. Some changes are already underway. Computers are being updated and record keeping fine tuned, but Congress is demanding more.

SEN. DICK DURBIN (D), ILLINOIS: It is hard to believe that the situation has disintegrated and deteriorated to the point it has at this once great institution.

ARENA (on camera): But changing systems and procedures can only go so far. Even Bureau officials admit its ultimately up to the men and women who work for the FBI to commit to reform.

Kelli Arena, CNN, Washington.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: In the Senate, heated debate over research into stem cells. Harvested from human embryos, they may lead to treatments for devastating diseases. But while Republican Senator Sam Brownback urged his colleagues not to go down what he called the "slippery slope" of funding such research, fellow Republican Bill Frist, the only physician in the Senate, and a key ally of President Bush, today said he favors federal funding for studies involving embryonic cells that he says would otherwise be discarded.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. BILL FRIST (R), TENNESSEE: I believe with an appropriate ethical construct, we can use that tissue to the benefit of hundreds of others, thousands of others, maybe millions of others.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), KANSAS: We all in this panel, I believe, all in this room agree that this embryo is alive. The central question remains, is it a life? Or is it a mere piece of property to be disposed of as its master chooses?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: For more on this emotional debate, I'm joined by CNN congressional correspondent Kate Snow.

Kate, the significance the Senator Frist's remarks today? How significant were they?

KATE SNOW, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Significant. Opponents of this stem cell research on embryos say that they're not going to change their minds because of what Senator Frist said, but as you point out, he's the only physician in the Senate. He is also a key ally of President Bush and one Republican that many Republicans go to for advice on health policy issues.

In fact, Senator Jeff Sessions, who is a key opponent right now of this research, told CNN today that Frist's remarks will have a monumental impact. He says it gives political cover to those who may be on the fence and thinking about potentially supporting this type of research.

BLITZER: And it may give political cover to President Bush, as well.

SNOW: Exactly.

BLITZER: Now very briefly, there's been a -- there was supposed to a vote today in the House on the faith-based initiative of the President. That vote did not occur. Does that mean the President's initiative is in trouble?

SNOW: No, not necessarily. It looks like they're going to vote tomorrow morning. In fact, Republican aides telling us that they have the votes to pass this.

Just to explain briefly what happened today, it's an issue that has to do with the language of bill and one provision, which allows that religious groups can be exempted from state and local anti- discrimination laws. Now supporters of the bill and the sponsors say that they need to have flexibility, religious groups need to have that flexibility so that they're not forced to hire certain people who may not agree with their moral beliefs.

On the other hand though, Democrats and group of Republican moderates said they didn't like that language, that it will allow people to discriminate against gays and others. And they were going to vote for an alternative to the President's faith-based initiative. That's why things got held up, the Republicans trying to shore up support, get their votes back in order. Of course, now they're saying that by tomorrow morning they will vote to pass the faith-based initiative.

BLITZER: Kate Snow, thank you very much.

He takes a faith-based stand on political issues. I'll ask religious broadcaster Pat Robertson for his views on the Chandra Levy affair, as well as on the stem cell debate. And claiming success in one recent test, the Pentagon wants to try another high-tech defense against missiles.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. As the son of a U.S. senator, he learned early on about living about living in the spotlight. He went on to found the Christian Broadcasting Network and the Christian Coalition and made his own stab at political office, seeking the Republican presidential nomination in 1988.

A short while ago, Pat Robertson joined me from Virginia Beach, Virginia. And I asked him about private lives of public figures.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: Pat Robertson, thanks for joining us. I assume you heard what the Senate Republican leader, Trent Lott, said over the weekend, that if in fact, and it's a big if, if in fact Gary Condit did have an adulterous affair with Chandra Levy, then he should resign from the Congress. Do you agree with Senator Lott?

PAT ROBERTSON, FOUNDER, CHRISTIAN COALITION: Well, you know, Wolf, it's said that if that was standard, maybe two-thirds of the members of Congress would be disqualified. I say that facetiously, but I'm just not sure that one act or two acts of adultery necessarily disqualifies somebody. I don't approve of it. I think it's wrong. I think it's definitely wrong, but I don't know if the American people want to go that far.

But when you couple with suborning perjury and lying and evasion and all the rest of it, then it gets to be a case where he probably should resign.

BLITZER: But he hasn't been convicted of suborning perjury or obstruction of justice or lying, for that matter. These are just speculative allegations out there. ROBERTSON: Well, a man in this country -- your right is be innocent until proven guilty and I don't understand quite all of this. I don't think there's any chance in the world that that congressman killed that young girl. I just can't believe. It just boggles my imagination.

You know, Washington is the murder capital of the nation. And it's very easy to commit a crime up there. So I would be very hesitant to think that he did that. And so, you're right he hasn't been convicted.

I say, if, if, if, then it would and question but so far you're right.

BLITZER: If you're looking at this situation though from the outside as all of us are in fact looking at it, at what point, if it's concluded that in the end, that he had absolutely nothing to do with her disappearance. And that's beyond a shadow of a doubt. At what point have we unfairly smeared him and exposed all of his let's say dirty linen in public and affect, perhaps, ruin this political career unfairly?

ROBERTSON: Well, I think we've done that. But you know. he's a minister's son and has taken rather conservative positions on things. He is, of course, a Democrat, as we all know, but nevertheless he's been alive with a number of conservative causes. And I believe with somebody that takes this kind of a stand for family values, for morality, that they or we would be held to higher standards.

BLITZER: So you're saying that because he's a minister's son, because he's spoken of family values, he should be held to a higher standard than other members of Congress, who perhaps haven't taken that kind of public position and are not necessarily sons or daughters of ministers?

ROBERTSON: I think, like it or not, that's the standard that the American people put on, guys. You know, if you're Barney Frank, you can get away with having a nest of male homosexual prostitutes in your house and nothing happens to you. If you happen to be from Midwest and you're Republican, and you fall into some indiscretion, the voters turn you out of office. I mean, we do have double standard in this country. I don't like it, but we do.

BLITZER: Well, you know, some would say and many Democrats would immediately point out to you, there are Republicans who have acknowledged indiscretions. Henry Hyde many years ago from Illinois, Dan Burton from Indiana, Midwestern states. Their voters re-elected them last time around easily.

ROBERTSON: Well, but that was indiscretion decades before. But you know, you look at Bob Livingston and he came forward. He was going to be speaker. And I think that really, the base of the Republican party is made up to large extent of evangelicals, pro- family, Roman Catholics and church-going people. And I think they demand higher standards of the people they support enthusiastically. And if that support erodes, the chances are that those on the other side will take advantage of them. They'll consider these guys wounded and go after them.

I think that's the case with Condit. Most people are thinking. Because you know, he comes from that valley out, the San Joaquin Valley, it's relative conservative farming community. And I think they might hold him to a higher standard.

BLITZER: Do you believe the news media, the national news media including me for example, that we've been fair in covering this story or we haven't been fair?

ROBERTSON: In my opinion, I think it's been way overblown. As somebody said, if this was just a girl in Washington, who was disappeared and she had had a relationship with a -- you know, somebody that's of lessor order of political power, there would have been no scandal at all. It would've just been one more disappearing person.

I think it's been way overplayed. In my opinion, it's been on and on and on and on. And you just wonder how much more you can say about something that seems to have no conclusion?

BLITZER: And I can assure you that many of our viewers have e- mailed me with exactly that point.

Pat Robertson, I want to shift gears dramatically and talk about a very important issue that is now before the President, stem cell research using human embryos. As you know, there is a debate, including many of those who are adamantly opposed to abortion, who are advising the President. Yes, do it. Use federal funds for this embryonic stem cell research.

Listen to what Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah, a fierce opponent of abortion rights said only today. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

HATCH: Let me be absolutely clear. I hold strong pro-life, pro- family values and strongly oppose abortion. I conclude that support of embryonic stem cell research is consistent with and advances pro- life and pro-family values.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: He argues that these embryonic stem cells are going to be discarded anyway. Why not use them to help cure Parkinson's or Alzheimer's or other debilitating diseases?

ROBERTSON: You know, the thing that I disagree with my good friend Orrin, and he is good friend of mine, is that this is a human being. And these so-called embryos blown into full orbed human beings. And a couple of them were on display at a Senate committee this week.

I knew the Joneses down here at the fertility clinic in Norfolk, who came to see me about 20 years ago. Well, I criticized their work very vehemently. And they said you said, "You don't understand. All we want to do is to help infertile couples have children. We want women who are so yearning to have a child. We want to be able to produce a child for that woman so that it can come to term. And I said, "Yes, but you're going to put life in a petri dish. And you're going to begin to experiment on it. And you will kill these living creatures. And they said, "Oh, no, it'll never happen."

Well, last week the Jones Clinic deliberately had eggs fertilized by sperm under a consent of the donors. And they deliberately killed those embryos. And you know, Senator Frist has got a legislation that would prohibit that kind of thing, but this is Pandora's box. It's a brave new world and something I really don't prove of.

BLITZER: Unfortunately Pat Robertson we have to leave it right there. We could go on and on. I want to thank you once again for joining us.

ROBERTSON: Thanks, Wolf.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BLITZER: And there's renewed concern in the Middle East tonight. The State Department says new information has led to a warning for people who may be heading to the Arabian peninsula. And what's coming out of the kitchen? A new study on what may be left behind by people using non-stick cookware. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. In other news tonight, a warning for U.S. citizens in the Arabian peninsula. The State Department says imminent terrorist actions are possible there. The U.S. government facilities remain on high alert since a warning last month. While there is no information on specific targets or method of attack, a senior official tells CNN that recent information created reason for additional concern.

Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told a House committee that the U.S. economy is still weak and may need another cut in interest rates to recover. That news did not help the stock market, which saw stocks tumble today, wiping out yesterday's gains.

Tonight on "the leading edge", following what it calls a successful weekend test of a missile defense system, the Pentagon now says it wants to try shooting down a missile with a laser mounted on a modified Boeing 747. That test could take place as early as 2003.

Two astronauts on the space shuttle spent more than six hours in a space walk today, installing special tanks to the new airlock on the international space station. The outside work was delayed when NASA flight controllers had to reboot a crashed computer onboard the station.

A new report out tomorrow suggests Teflon and other nonstick coatings used on pots and pans, generate a chemical compound when heated. They say it gets into the environment and stays there indefinitely. A researcher says there's no sign the chemical poses a threat to people, but says more study is needed.

Up next, I'll open our mailbag. One of you asks what sharks, pit bulls and wolves have in common when it comes to the Chandra Levy case? I'll explain.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

Welcome back. Time now to open our mailbag. My conversation last night on the Chandra Levy case and the news media coverage generated lots of reaction. Al in Florida has this. "We prefer CBS because their reporting is balanced and fair. It's obvious that CNN is controlled by the Republican Mafia."

BLITZER: Al, you're probably not watching us right now, but in case you are. You should know tonight "THE CBS EVENING NEWS WITH DAN RATHER" finally broke their silence and reported on the Chandra Levy case.

Ray in California writes this. "Wolf, isn't it enough that sharks are feeding on beat swimmers and pit bulls are feeding on their neighbors? So why do we wolves have to feed on congressmen?"

And Patricia in Fort Lauderdale. "I do not know Chandra Levy. She is a stranger to me, but I do know that I want her home, too. Do whatever you have to do to make that happen."

Remember, I want to hear from you. Please e-mail me at Wolf@cnn.com. And you can read my daily online column and sign up for my e-mail previewing our nightly programs by going to my Web site, cnn.com/Wolf.

That's all the time we have tonight. Tomorrow night, I'll speak with the D.C. police chief, Charles Ramsey. 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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