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CNN Wolf Blitzer Reports

California Newspapers Calling for Gary Condit's Resignation

Aired August 13, 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, CNN ANCHOR: Tonight, a CNN exclusive. Under fire from longtime supporters, Gary Condit's office speaks out. In his first television interview, I'll be joined live by the congressman's chief of staff, Mike Lynch.

They've backed him since his first congressional race, but key newspapers serving his own district now accuse Condit of "abhorrent" conduct and abuse of his office. They say it's time for him to go. I'll speak with Jim Boren, editorial page editor of the "Fresno Bee."

Israeli troops and tanks mass near a West Bank town as Palestinians brace for another response to recent bombings. I'll speak with "USA Today's" Jack Kelley, who narrowly escaped death in the Jerusalem suicide attack.

And can an Alzheimer's drug help patients buy precious time? We'll have the results of a new study.

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

There appears to be a shift in Congressman Gary Condit's strategy in dealing with the Chandra Levy investigation. With two major newspapers serving his district now calling on him to resign, the Democratic lawmaker is abandoning his almost four-month posture of public silence. He issued a lengthy statement reacting to the editorials, and tonight, for the first time, his chief of staff will appear on television to respond to Condit's critics. And that's our top story.

We'll get to my interview with Mike Lynch shortly, but first: The Bees sting Condit. Two newspapers, which have been long-time supporters of Gary Condit, this weekend demanded that he step down. After his hometown daily, the "Modesto Bee," called his behavior "abhorrent," Condit released a statement calling the criticism, quote, "terribly unfair." The "Fresno Bee" was also very blunt, saying the congressman had abused the public trust, and adding, quote, "Condit can make up for his actions with one simple act, resignation. The good people of the San Joaquin Valley deserve a better representative. It's time for Gary Condit to go."

To find out why there's been such a change of heart toward Gary Condit, a short while ago I spoke with Jim Boren, the editorial page editor of the "Fresno Bee." (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

Jim Boren, thank you very much for joining us. And let me get right to the key question. Why now, after almost four months of this investigation, have you called on Congressman Condit to resign.

JIM BOREN, "FRESNO BEE": Well, Wolf, this has been a difficult decision for us. We supported Congressman Condit for every House race he's been in since 1989, when he was first elected. And the cumulative effect of the information that's come out since the Chandra Levy disappearance led to us believe that he no longer should serve in public office.

BLITZER: As you know, your newspaper and your sister newspaper, the "Modesto Bee," sparked an immediate public reaction from Congressman Condit. Among other things, he said this. "It is terribly unfair and disappointing that the `Bee' would have come to any decision about me without first allowing the investigation to conclude and hearing what I have to say. My 30 years in public service should have earned me that much consideration."

Should it have earned him that much consideration?

BOREN: Well, we've given him consideration for the last three months. And you know, we've given him the benefit of the doubt. And I think that as -- if you look at the evidence that's been piled up in the last three months, there's a lot of issues that he hasn't answered. And if he wants to come forward and answer those, that would be great.

I mean, he deceived the Levy parents about the relationship with Chandra Levy. He deceived the Washington, D.C., police department until at least the third interview. He had a girlfriend on the congressional payroll. He had his congressional staff lie to deceive about the relationship with Levy. And the flight attendant, Anne Marie Smith -- he asked her to sign false affidavit, and she says he even suggested that she not cooperate with FBI.

The cumulative evidence since Chandra Levy disappeared is what led to us believe that he no longer should serve as 18th district congressman.

BLITZER: But you make no specific accusation that he did anything whatsoever to do with her disappearance, do you.

BOREN: No. And we don't believe right now that there's any evidence that he did have anything to do with that. He may have some information on her whereabouts at the time, but we do not believe he had any involvement in that, until other evidence comes out. But right now, there isn't enough evidence that would suggest that. This could have been a random abduction. It probably was a random abduction. But his -- the way he's acted since then is what led to us to this decision that we ran in Sunday's "Fresno Bee."

BLITZER: One other point that the congressman made in his public statement that he released, responding to your editorial, was this. "The `Bee's' conclusion that my refusal to publicly disclose details of this case is a violation of the public trust is an unfortunate misunderstanding of the difference between my cooperation with the police and my unwillingness to give in to media demands that I immediately bare all parts of my and my family's private life."

He hasn't been -- the police don't accuse him of being a suspect in any of this investigation, do they?

BOREN: We -- and they do not. And we do -- we did not ask for his resignation on the basis of what he has said or not said to the police department. What we have said is that he has been deceptive throughout the last three months since the disappearance. He's used his public payroll in a way that we don't think is fitting of a congressman. He's misstating what our editorial said. I laid out the five points that we had earlier, including having, you know, someone on the -- on the payroll that he had a relationship with.

This is not about a relationship with Chandra Levy. It's how he's reacted since that relationship and the disappearance of Chandra Levy became public.

BLITZER: As you know, we're about to interview Mike Lynch, the chief of staff to Congressman Condit. Congressman Condit also says very soon he's going to be issuing a public explanation, a public statement. Is there anything you believe he can say or do, at this point, that would rehabilitate him in the eyes of your newspaper?

BOREN: There isn't anything that I know of right now, but we're willing to listen. We've been willing to listen for the last three months. I hope Mr. Lynch comes on right after this interview and says Congressman Condit is going to be made available tomorrow and he's going to explain his involvement in this case fully and completely. That's all we've asked for for the last three months, and they've refused to do that. A congressman that doesn't meet with his constituency seems like an ineffective congressman in the view of our editorial board.

BLITZER: Jim, Boren, thank you so much for joining us.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

Let's turn right now to Gary Condit's chief of staff, Mike Lynch. He joins us now for his first television interview since this controversy began. Mike Lynch is right now in Seattle.

Mr. Lynch, thank you for joining us. You just heard Jim Boren say he wants Congressman Condit to come forward tomorrow. Congressman Condit says he will very soon. When will he issue that public explanation, and in what format?

MIKE LYNCH, CONDIT CHIEF OF STAFF: Well, Wolf first of all, thank you for letting me come on tonight. The -- Mr. Boren's statements I want to address in some detail at the appropriate time. The -- responding to when this will happen or when Congressman Condit will have his discussion, I suspect it will be sooner rather than later. But let me make very clear this is not a change in Congressman Condit's position or his strategy. He has said from the beginning of this issue and the beginning of the inquiries that at the appropriate time in the investigation, he would make a public comment and he would do it through the appropriate venue and to the appropriate people. This is not a change at all.

And while Jim Boren wasn't involved in this, last June Congressman Condit met in his home in Ceres with the managing editor of the "Modesto Bee" and the editorial page editor, Mr. Mark Vasche and Dick LeGrand of the editorial pages, who he has known for years, and explained to them in quite some detail -- I was there, they met for over an hour -- the reasons for his position and for his reticence to have a public discussion of issues that were irrelevant to the disappearance.

And Wolf, and let me just comment one more time on what Jim said. This is about the disappearance of Chandra Levy. This is all it should be about. And for the "Modesto Bee" or the "Fresno Bee," no matter how they, you know, try to suggest it's one or the other -- for anyone to suggest this is about anything other than Chandra Levy's disappearance, you know -- you know, they're just wrong. And for the media, including CNN and rest of the television networks, to view this issue as either -- I think less than or more than disappearance, you know, is flat-out wrong.

I would hope that CNN is publishing the 800 number right now because...

BLITZER: Well...

LYNCH: ... if there's any good that can come out of this, it is that somebody will, you know, see a picture of Chandra and it will generate a tip to the appropriate people in the law enforcement and they can solve the mystery.

BLITZER: I can assure you, Mike Lynch, we've been doing that throughout these three-and-a-half months of this investigation.

But don't you feel, as the "Fresno Bee" and the "Modesto Bee" say -- don't you feel that the congressman owes to it his constituents, at least, the people who elected him, to explain his behavior over these past few months?

LYNCH: You know, I think that there's a legitimate position that argues that any elected person, you know, has to maintain a dialogue with their constituents on issues that are -- impact public policy and what they are dealing with.

Let me bring up the issue of the "Bee," however. In the discussions that he had with the "Modesto Bee" editorial board and the managing editor, they talked about that specific issue. And Congressman Condit said to Mark and to Dick LeGrand, said, "Well, who would you have me talk to? Do you want me to talk to the people that you put on your Web site?" The "Bee" has a -- sponsored a forum, a Web site on the Chandra Levy issue that they run, they circulate. And it's under the "Bee" masthead. And this is a Web site that allows people to anonymously come on and say all kinds of malicious, hateful, racist, you know, things. They slander and vilify Congressman Condit, Mrs. Condit. You know, they attacked Mr. Condit's lawyer because he's Jewish. They've attacked me. They've attacked all of our staff...

BLITZER: All right...

LYNCH: ... and accused us of murder. And the "Bee" doesn't, you know, say anything about that. So I...

BLITZER: Mr. Lynch, let me interrupt you for a second. We invited you to go through some of the response -- your response to the points made in these editorials. And let's give you an opportunity to respond to some of the points and some of the headlines in, for example, the "Fresno Bee." One of the points that the editorial writers made was this. "He had his Congressional staff lie for him about his relationship with Chandra Levy."

LYNCH: Well, that didn't happen.

BLITZER: Did he -- did he do that?

LYNCH: No. No. No, Wolf, it didn't. And that's part of the investigation. And I -- as we talked earlier today, I can't -- I can't comment on that. But the fact of the matter is, that whole relationship issue is irrelevant anyway. You know, the issue here is the disappearance. You know, we've -- you know, we've heard about all the allegations about congressional staff, all the points that Boren was making.

The fact of matter is, we have over -- in 12 years, over 110 employees in Congressman Condit's office in Washington and in the district. There's not been one sexual harassment suit. There's not been one hostile workplace suit. No charges have ever been leveled at all. On the...

BLITZER: But early on...

LYNCH: And not on the-

BLITZER: Mr. Lynch...

LYNCH: Not on the Sacramento side, either, in the state legislature. So there's a lot of smoke here, Wolf, and there's -- and there's very -- there's just nothing there.

BLITZER: Early on, during first few weeks of investigation, did you ever tell news media, did you or any other member of the staff...

LYNCH: Well...

BLITZER: ... that there was no...

LYNCH: You know...

BLITZER: ... romantic relationship...

LYNCH: You know, I cannot go...

BLITZER: ... with Chandra Levy?

LYNCH: Wolf, we've talked about that issue. You and I talked about that before. And I'm not going to go there because it's not relevant. But the fact of the matter is, this issue is about a disappearance, and the issue today we're talking about is about the press coverage. We're -- you know, I thought we were going to talk about the "Modesto Bee" running the story alleging -- quoting the minister saying his daughter had an affair with Congressman Condit, which the "Bee" ran without even asking us for a comment on, which subsequently, the FBI determined was made up, was invented.

And you know, where is the "Bee's" apology for running that story on the first -- front page, banner headlines? Where is that apology? You know, they jumped to that story without even calling us because they heard "The Washington Post" was running it...

BLITZER: All right...

LYNCH: ... and they didn't want to get scooped by "The Washington Post," so...

BLITZER: Let's talk about -- let's talk about the investigation. As you say, Chandra Levy -- on of the points the "Fresno Bee" makes in its editorial today is this. And we'll put it up on the screen, as well. "Even with a young woman's life at stake, Condit chose to protect his political career, rather than help find a woman he claimed to be a friend. When decency was called for, Condit failed."

LYNCH: I think that's just words, Wolf. Those are just words. The police have said from day one that Congressman Condit has no link to the disappearance of Chandra Levy. They have said from day one that he has been fully forthcoming of information related to the disappearance. You know, they have said -- they have said all that stuff. You've seen all the quotes.

You guys in the press -- not you guys, but many of the people in the press, just don't -- just don't print it. And the fact of the matter is, this is about a disappearance case, and this is what it should be about. You know, we're into this game now, where, you know, if you looked at what Jim Boren said in his statement, you know, none of those things, you know, are related to the disappearance of Chandra Levy.

Well, I don't remember the "Modesto Bee" or the "Fresno Bee," you know, running a crusade against, you know, other elected people if they think that their personal life doesn't meet to -- meet a certain standard, calling for their resignations. I mean, I just -- I just don't remember that. Now, I could be wrong, but I haven't seen that before. I don't know what motivates this in terms of the "Bee." The "Bee" has a checkered history on this. Early on, the "Bee" wrote a great editorial -- one of their reporters, Judy Sly -- that condemned the press for the use of the doctored photo. You recall that, the doctored photo, where they used a picture of Congressman Condit and picture of Chandra and a picture of another intern in Washington, and they cropped out the third person to make it look like a couples photo.

And a reporter at the -- or an editor, actually, at the "Modesto Bee" wrote a great editorial condemning that tactic. And you know, we were very appreciative of that editorial. And you know, frankly, that -- you know, we thought the "Bee" was going to be a little bit more objective throughout this. They've gotten -- they've -- they've lost -- they seem to have lost that objectivity.

BLITZER: All right, Mike Lynch, stand by. We're going to continue our conversation, but we have to take a quick commercial break.

More of our exclusive interview with Mike Lynch when we come back. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back. We're continuing our conversation with Mike Lynch, the chief of staff for Congressman Gary Condit.

Mr. Lynch, why did the congressman wait till the third interview with the police to tell them that, yes, he had, in fact, had a romantic relationship with Chandra Levy?

LYNCH: Hey, Wolf, you know...

BLITZER: Couldn't that -- couldn't that have helped...

LYNCH: Wolf...

BLITZER: ... in the -- couldn't...

LYNCH: I -- you know, all I can tell you about the police interviews is what I've read in the newspapers and seen on TV. And in all of the statements I've read from the police, they said he's been fully cooperative, et cetera. You know, I can't comment on the interview stuff. I wasn't in any of the interviews. And I don't know if any of the people who, you know, say that they know what was said and what wasn't said and all the nuances -- I don't know if any of those people were in the interviews, either.

The -- as far as I know, the only people in there were the police, and they're not talking, and then Congressman Condit, and he hasn't talked. So you know, I don't know who your sources are, and it'd be nice if they would give their names, if you have some. One of the problems...

BLITZER: Well, Chief... LYNCH: ... with this...

BLITZER: Chief -- let me -- let me...

LYNCH: Wolf -- Wolf, one of the problems...

(CROSSTALK)

LYNCH: One of the problems in this whole issue has been the use of anonymous sources. People have used them. And you know, you know the story at Fox News, where they -- they used an anonymous report, an anonymous police sources. The put it on their Web site, put it on their TV for two days, Rita Collins did. And it was corrected on the record by name by the police department back there, and Fox still ran the wrong information. So you know...

BLITZER: But both Chief Ramsey and Assistant Chief Gainer both said they wished Congressman Condit would have been more forthcoming...

LYNCH: Well...

BLITZER: ... during those early interviews.

LYNCH: You know...

BLITZER: They said that on the record on this program.

LYNCH: Well, Wolf, I didn't see the program. I've seen numerous quotes from both the chief and Mr. Gainer saying that the congressman's been fully cooperative and, much more important, saying that there is no link whatsoever between Congressman Condit and the disappearance of Chandra Levy. Now -- either directly or indirectly.

Now, all of this should be about that. That's what all this coverage should be about. The fact that the media, you know, is going in these other areas, Wolf, is because there's no there there. There is no linkage. There is no...

BLITZER: As you know...

LYNCH: ... linkage and -- and Wolf, at the -- in the final analysis, at the end of business, at the close of the day, people are going to recognize that Congressman Condit has no link to the disappearance and that we have a mystery here. We have a young woman who by all -- all the reports was, you know, one of those quality folks that you run into, who is out lost now and missing. And that is what we should be trying to examine, you know, more than a lot of these other issues.

BLITZER: As you know, the Levy family is very angry at Congressman Condit. They say when they spoke with him, Mrs. Condit -- excuse me -- when they spoke with Congressman Condit that he lied to them about the nature of the relationship with their daughter. And the "Fresno Bee" in their editorial today said this. "The congressman also deceived Levy's parents about the nature of his relationship with their daughter. Condit's instinct for deception is a character flaw that surfaces repeatedly in this case."

LYNCH: Well, I mean, I don't -- you know, I'm not a psychologist, and I don't know where Jim Boren got his degree. But the -- his degree in psychology. The fact of matter is that Congressman Condit, when the Levys first called him about this case, got the FBI involved. He is the one who suggested they establish a reward fund. He talked to the Levys. He called her, you know, several weeks into this, after their first trip back to Washington, which Congressman Condit helped facilitate by -- with the -- the Carrington-Sund Foundation. And she didn't want to meet with him without a -- without a lawyer. Once they got a lawyer, he facilitated that meeting, you know, that very same week in Washington.

You know, there is -- the -- the -- Mr. and Mrs. Levy are undergoing the worst, most terrible experience any parents could go through. They deserve our hearts, ours prayers, our total support. But you know, don't ask me to comment on conversations I'm not party to, Wolf, because that doesn't get anybody anywhere.

BLITZER: Mike Lynch, we only have a second left. Will Congressman Condit seek reelection?

LYNCH: The -- that -- he -- early on, long before issue, he had decided to seek reelection, and those plans have not changed.

BLITZER: Mike Lynch, it was kind of you to join us tonight. Thank you very much. Unfortunately, we are all out of time.

LYNCH: OK.

BLITZER: Thank you.

And a fresh upsurge of violence in the Middle East. Palestinians say Israeli troops and tanks are moving into a Palestinian town in the West Bank. We'll have a live report.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: Welcome back.

A new upsurge of violence in the Middle East. While Palestinians today protested Israel's seizure of their symbolic headquarters in Jerusalem, a response to last week's bloody suicide attack. Within the past hour, there's been a much sharper Israeli action in the West Bank, where Palestinian sources say troops and tanks have stormed into the town of Jenin. Israel says that town was home to another suicide bomber, who wounded 15 people in northern Israel on yesterday.

Pausing during a round of golf today, President Bush dismissed criticism that his administration has not been doing enough to ease tensions. He called on both sides to show restraint, but placed the burden on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE WALKER BUSH, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I think he can do a lot more to be convincing the people on the street to stop these acts of terrorism and the acts of violence. I've said in the Oval Office it is very important for Mr. Arafat to show 100 percent effort, to do everything can he to convince different parties on the West Bank and in Gaza to stop the violence.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BLITZER: For more on this breaking story about tonight's latest round of violence, let's go to CNN Jerusalem bureau chief Mike Hanna. He joins us live by telephone.

Mike, tell us what's going on.

MIKE HANNA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Wolf, there's a significant escalation in this ongoing conflict. Jenin, a city in the West Bank, is in "area A" in terms of the Oslo peace agreement, the Oslo peace accords. What this means is that Jenin is in the full Palestinian security, as well as civilian control. This marks the first time in the 10 months of conflict that Israeli forces have moved into a Palestinian city.

According to the governor of Jenin, Israeli tanks have taken position outside the offices of the governor, right in the middle of that city. Bulldozers have demolished a police station in the city itself. And reports, too, from the area say that intense gunfire is going on in the refugee camp in Jenin, which is near the middle of the city, as well.

This marks a significant escalation. No comment from the Israeli Defense Force as yet, although in recent days, the Israeli government has been saying that a number of suicide bombers have come from this area of Jenin. This would appear to be further reprisals, in terms of Israeli actions in the wake of these suicide bombings in Israel. But it's a reprisal that represents a significant escalation, a full Israeli deployment into the heart of a Palestinian-controlled city, unprecedented in the past 10 months of conflict, Wolf.

BLITZER: And Mike, is it the sense there that the Israelis are going to reoccupy Jenin and remove the Palestinian security forces from that town?

HANNA: At this stage, it's not clear exactly what the aim of the operation is. The tanks and bulldozers have been in the city now for at least more than an hour. How long they are going to stay, whether indeed, the intention is to take over control of the city not clear, at this particular point. That we'll have to wait and see in the hours ahead, Wolf.

BLITZER: Mike Hanna in Jerusalem. And of course, CNN will continue to monitor this breaking news development. I'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BLITZER: That's all time we have tonight. We had planned to bring you an interview with "USA Today's" Jack Kelley, an eyewitness to the Jerusalem suicide bombing. But due to our breaking news, we regret we could not bring you that tonight.

For now, 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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