A chronology of the Chandra Levy story, updated as news breaks. Click here to read the whole story from the beginning.
Monday, July 9: Abbe D. Lowell, the Washington lawyer for Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif., holds a press conference and promises to provide to police “whatever additional information or material” is needed to help find Chandra Levy. “This includes access to his apartment, telephone or cell phone records, a request that his entire staff make themselves available, and whatever else I can arrange with police,” Lowell says. He adds that Condit would be willing to provide a DNA sample if police think it necessary, but he resists the Levy family’s suggestion that Condit submit to a polygraph exam.
“I will do with the police what they find useful,” Lowell says. “The police have said that he’s answered all questions to their satisfaction.” He continues: “There’s nothing that a lie detector could test. He’s not been inconsistent to the police.”
Lowell criticizes the media’s focus on Condit during the Chandra Levy investigation. He asks TV networks to end their stakeouts outside the Condit family residences. “Surely the time has come to focus less on Congressman Condit and more on the 99 other people police have identified who might be as helpful in providing information that could find Chandra,” Lowell said.
That evening, Robert Levy, Chandra Levy’s father, tells reporters outside the Levys’ Modesto, Calif., home “that he and his wife still did not believe Condit had told the whole story,” MSNBC reports. “He dismissed Lowell’s offer to let police search Condit’s home and office, saying any evidence could have been removed or destroyed.” Susan Levy adds: “Mr. Condit has not been very truthful to me. I think there’s things that are unknown and the truth has to come out.”
Billy Martin, the Levys’ attorney, goes on Larry King Live and attacks Condit’s forthrightness. “Getting information from Congressman Condit is like pulling teeth. It comes out only when he’s forced to admit these facts,” he says. Martin says Susan Levy called Condit in early May and asked whether he had an affair with her daughter. “He lied,” Martin says. “He misrepresented his relationship. He told her no.”
Martin says Condit’s long silence on the subject of his relationship with Chandra Levy harmed the police investigation. “Early on in this investigation, Congressman Condit knew that Chandra was upbeat,” he says. “We believe that he knew that she was excited. About what we’re not sure. But the investigation took a different path. The investigation went down a road where it was rumored that Chandra may have taken her own life, that she was despondent, that she was upset, that she had been dumped by her lover. Those were not true statements. Congressman Condit knew those statements were not true, and he never corrected the record.”
Tuesday, July 10: Washington, D.C., police say they plan to take Lowell up on his offer to let them search Condit’s apartment. The search is expected to be conducted Tuesday.
The Washington Post reports that police have asked at least three men “who had contact with” Chandra Levy to take polygraph exams. Presumably none of the men are Condit.
Federal prosecutors say they plan to fly flight attendant Anne Marie Smith to Washington to talk with the U.S. attorney’s office. The interview is expected to take place Wednesday. Smith’s attorney, Jim Robinson, has accused Condit of suborning perjury by asking Smith to signing an affidavit denying her affair with the congressman.
Condit’s lawyers say Condit never contacted Smith directly, but USA Today reported Monday that Smith said Condit called her daily urging her to sign the affidavit. “She didn’t actually stop talking to Congressman Condit until about a week and a half ago,” Robinson said Monday on the Fox News Channel. “Abbe Lowell then called me after the affidavit incident and accused my client of contacting Congressman Condit. I called Anne Marie and said, ‘What in the world is going on?’ She said, ‘That’s absolutely not true. I’m simply returning his phone call.’ So I said, ‘What is he calling you about?’ She says, ‘He’s trying to get me to fire you and get me to sign that false affidavit.’ The man suborned perjury flat out.”
Robinson told the Modesto Bee that he told Smith to stop returning Condit’s calls and that he let Smith be interviewed by Fox News to create a “document” that could be used in court.
Still more political ramifications: The Modesto Bee reports that City Councilman Bill Conrad is raising money for a run at Condit’s seat. Conrad lost to Condit in 1996. “Whether it’s an open seat or not, I’m still going to run,” Conrad said.
