Point-counterpoint: The Condit interviews

From Brooks Jackson
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- What follows is a fact check on some of the points Rep. Gary Condit has made in interviews these past few days after months of silence on the disappearance of Chandra Levy.

Condit did not deny, nor did he confirm, having a sexual relationship with former Bureau of Prisons intern Levy. Nor did he deny having a long-term affair with her. But he would not discuss details because, he said in his interview ABC's Connie Chung, the Levy family had made a "specific request":

"Out of a specific request by the Levy family, it is best that I not get into the details of the relationship."

The Levy family's lawyer, Billy Martin, called Condit's claim "dishonest" and said there was no such request:

VIDEO Listen to the entire Condit interview with affiliate KOVR/SBG (part 1) (August 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Condit interview with affiliate KOVR/SBG (part 2) (August 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES Californians react to Condit interview   Connie Chung 'shocked'   Condit addresses re-election     EXTRA INFORMATION Transcript: Gary Condit interview   Key players   Timeline   Profile: Gary Condit     RESOURCES On the Scene: Bill Schneider: Condit letter offers no apologies for behavior   Message Board: The case of the missing intern

"The Levys have no objection to Gary Condit telling the world what he knows about the relationship between Gary Condit and Chandra Levy," Martin told reporters.

Where did Condit get the idea that the Levys didn't want him to talk about a relationship with Chandra? In a Tuesday evening CNN interview with Wolf Blitzer featuring Martin himself, as it turns out:

BLITZER: "What does the Levy family want to hear from Gary Condit Thursday night?"

MARTIN: "Wolf, the only thing the family wants to hear -- and I spoke with Dr. Levy and Mrs. Levy today -- they just want to hear information that could lead to information on Chandra's whereabouts or what happened to her. They don't want to hear anything about the relationship."

Martin now says that wasn't a request that Condit refuse to answer questions. He says the 53-year-old California Democrat twisted his words.

What about Condit's statement that he never lied to Chandra Levy's mother -- that she never even asked him directly whether he was having an affair with her daughter.

Condit told "People" magazine: "She (Mrs. Levy) named some people who she thought might be interested in Chandra. My name was not mentioned ... She asked me about other members of Congress."

Just a failure to communicate, Condit said in an interview with California TV station KOVR:

"There were a lot of things said. I'm sorry if she was misled or if there was a misunderstanding. I never lied."

That conflicts directly with what Mrs. Levy said on CNN's "Larry King Live" -- namely, that she questioned Condit specifically about a relationship within days after her daughter's disappearance:

"I point-blankly asked him if he was having an affair. And matter-of-factly, he said 'no.'"

Another conflict -- Condit's denial that he had an affair with airline flight attendant Anne Marie Smith or asked her to lie about it -- and his statement to Chung that Smith lied for financial gain:

CHUNG: "Why would you want her to say that she didn't have a relationship with you?"

CONDIT: "Because she didn't."

That conflicts directly with Smith, who says Condit wanted her to sign an affidavit denying an affair:

"Obviously, Mr. Condit knew it was false and he was asking me to sign it. And I personally could never have signed it, or would never have signed it."

Condit, Smith says, was motivated by publicity and profit. But the congressman struck back in his recent KOVR interview:

"Her motive is to sell a story to a tabloid. That's what she did. And for you to embrace that as just a regular news story is a little bit questionable to me."

Smith's lawyer, Jim Robinson, says he has proof of an affair -- including witnesses and a gift Condit gave his client. And Robinson denies Smith has gotten any money:

"No. We were offered money. We turned it down on every occasion. The only people that made money on this are her former roommates who sold their story to Star magazine."

Condit denied he set any rules for Chandra; her aunt says Chandra told her about many strict rules to keep the affair secret.

Condit also said he cooperated fully with police and answered all questions they asked. But Washington Police Chief Charles Ramsey had a different take Friday:

"One could say he answered every question that Connie Chung asked him. He answered all the questions that we asked him. And it will be up to others to decide whether or not that's forthcoming. And that you got any more out of that conversation after that interview than you did before."