"This was supposed to be Condit's breakout year in Congress. As a co-founder of the conservative Blue Dog Democrats, he was expected to wield power in the divided House and also trade on his excellent connections with the Bush administration. His name was once floated as a possible agriculture secretary during the post-election jockeying. He also was toying with the possibility of returning to California and running for statewide office."
It's really hard to know who or what is behind this....
I agree with Jim Boren in that Condit should stop with the smile and PR campaign and quit insulting our intelligence. This isn't going to go away...
Pat
edited for UBB flub
[ edited by camachinist on Jul 22, 2001 09:00 AM ]
posted on July 22, 2001 09:23:20 AM"I believe he's innocent until proven guilty"
Oh yes, obviously. But he's probably guilty of criminal conspiracy if his brother, biker friends, or office staff are involved as implied above.
The telephone records show that a congressman called his office you say? TSK, TSK! What could he have been thinking but for murder?
"But from all we're hearing about this 'double life' he's lead it does raise my doubts and suspicions about his character, and his possible involvement".
No. Only those who take the FOX news as the holy gospel are "hearing" these asinine suppositions about him. They are not part of any official release from any investigative agency.
"Condit's lack of willingness to take another polygram (with the FBI) and the DC police asking him to come in for a fourth interview (to straighten up a few dates/time frames that aren't jiving) etc. isinteresting. If he's not a suspect, the DC police sure are spending a lot of time and money on this case compared to the other two DC intern cases that were similiar to this".
What lack of willingness? He has released that he will negotiate another polygraph conducted by the FBI, apparently because he believes them to be less subject to the influence of the republican party bloodsuckers. And that answers the only pertinent question: Why are the DC police devoting this inordinate amount of time to this case and not to all of the other missing person cases outstanding in the district? Well, Gee, how hard can that be to figure out? They are under some very heavy pressure, that's why. And from whom might that pressure come?? Golly Matilda, did you just get off the boat? The Republican scandal machine, frustrated at the exit of their favorite target, have now taken the cudgel up to wave and threaten another albeit lesser and not so satisfying democrat.
"Think he'd have been better off to do as he advised Clinton to do. Should have addressed the public, pointed his finger and said, "I did not have an affair with that woman..." I think his total public silence has just increased the curiosity of many".
Oh, you mean you'd rather that he lied? That would work for the above scandal mongers quite well wouldn't it? He doesn't have to, nor should he make any public statements concerning this matter. He may owe an explanation to his constituents, and hopefully when the mess is cleared up he will give one, but he does not have to subject himself more than he can't avoid to the scrutiny of every back fence gossip in smallville USA.
posted on July 22, 2001 09:56:46 AM
Thanks for the chuckle, krs. I agree with the article camachinist posted that because Condit chooses to stonewall the press/public.....it causes people to speculate.
camachinist - I agree that his PR people are taking a wrong approach.
If it were me personally, I'd be screaming my innocence from the roof tops. I'd have taken the polygragh test immediately because I wouldn't have a thing to hide.
Quoted in that article was:
"'Right to speculate'
We don't know because he's not talking publicly, and that makes a lot of people think he's guilty of a lot of things. It may be unfair, but when Condit decided to stonewall, he handed the public the right to speculate. It was a disastrous strategy from the start, and it hasn't gotten any better almost three months after Levy, the former federal intern, disappeared."
posted on July 22, 2001 11:40:02 AM
I'm not sure I can condemn the guy for stalling on the lie detector test. Those things are notoriously hinky. I'd be worried that people who've already decided I'm guilty would be either administering the test or interpreting the results, and would skew the results to reflect their perspective. And even if there were no sinister element to the proceedings, I would still be concerned that human incompetence (which seems to epidemic in law enforcement agencies these days) would somehow do me in.
Maybe my own nervousness about these things would affect the test itself and make me appear guilty. Who knows?
When you take a lie detector test for something as important as this, you are, in many ways, putting your life in someone else's hands. I'm not sure I trust anyone enough to do that.
posted on July 22, 2001 12:02:57 PMI'm not sure I can condemn the guy for stalling on the lie detector test.
But... but... didn't he take the lie detector test. I loved how his lawyer showed up and said he passed the lie detector test. I think the police and public were really impressed that he hired an polygraph examiner and gave him a list of questions to ask. He was just saving the tax payers the expense of having to conduct a polygraph test. What a trooper.
posted on July 22, 2001 12:56:26 PM
The guy they had do the test is used by the FBI to do the same tests. No one but the involved people know what or how many questions were asked of him, but you can be sure that there were plenty of them. On the relevant points Condit passed.
It is a long standing policy of the FBI not to accept results from tests given by outsiders even if they have a reasonable certainty that a test was done in accordance with their own procedures. They have said as much as that they would rely on this test but for their policy.
It makes very good sense for Condit not to have submitted to any test administered by this city police agency. A lie detector test once failed is unrecoverable by further testing, and the question of who is influencing the actions and findings of this city's police is a very important one.
posted on July 22, 2001 01:10:03 PM
Regarding polygraphs...
My understanding is that, even with a test administered by law enforcement, all questions to be asked are provided to the subject in advance of the test.
Having said that, the polygraph historically has given both false positive and false negative results...so, sometimes, liars are held to be truthful and also the reverse.
I would suspect this reality is why courts still are loathe to use polygraph results as factual evidence.
With the adversarial relationship that obtains to contact with law enforcement these days, I can understand Condit's reluctance to submit to their polygraph or offer any information beyond what was asked directly. I don't agree with that choice, but do understand it.
I just wish he would do what I and many believe to be morally right, not what he feels is legally and politically right.
I wonder how many bright young minds, who might otherwise contribute so much, might choose, as a result of this incident, to pursue a different path in life other than that of public service, to government and society's detriment.
posted on July 22, 2001 01:28:27 PM"I wonder how many bright young minds, who might otherwise contribute so much, might choose, as a result of this incident"
Unfortunately, if they truly are bright this incident will have little affect upon them as they would and do already know to stay as far from that nest of sleaze as they can. Washington is the dirtiest city in the country. Filthy even in comparison to such places as Detroit and New York city. It may not show so readily, but there is more crime on a dollar basis or on a loss of life measure than any other place. The stakes are high and it's a cutthroat game there, good people are ground into disgrace and ruin year after year. It encourages sleaze--politicians do not survive there by being honest and committed to the principles that supposedly govern this country. They must submit to underhanded dealing, graft and payoffs just to be able to have a small hope that they might accomplish anything for the people that elected them.
posted on July 22, 2001 01:36:05 PM
Will y'all quit calling it a "lie detector test"? That's only in the movies. It's a polygraph examination. And anyway, people who know how to do it, can lie through their teeth and pass with flying colors. Many law enforcement departments are now administering Voice Stress Analyzers instead of Polygraphs. Some controversy about those as well.
I really don't think the Republicans are out to get one of their own, krs. Condit is a Democrat "in name only". He's more "Republican" than Democrat. He's a bit to cozy with the Bush administration for my tastes.
posted on July 22, 2001 01:47:34 PM
No way you get to switch his party for him, just 'cause he might be a murderer...heh You might convince him to get a haircut and save his life, tho...
posted on July 22, 2001 02:50:24 PM
I had an affair with him too. I kept getting him mixed up with David Bowie. Why he is just a wonderful man, you really should get to know him. He has had a lot of plastic surgery to keep his bull dog jawline intact. But I hate to tell you that he is a cross dresser. Yes, it was just a horror when I found those size 15 blue pumps in his underwear drawer. My image of his powerful DC image was shattered. But after awhile I got used to it. He never asked me to sign a thing. I did sign his butt with a crayon while he ate 49 green m&m's.
posted on July 22, 2001 04:00:36 PM
He holds a democratic seat in the house, he's a number. The little guy is extremely concerned with maintaining a repug majority in the house in 2002.
I just saw a story about a "Million Woman who've had an affair with Condit March on Washington" that's scheduled for next week.
"Condit and his campaign staff have used campaign funds to provide at least $49,000 worth of gifts since 1990, a review of campaign reports shows. In addition, more than $31,000 worth of flowers have been given during the same period."
"None of the three Valley lawmakers whose districts border Condit's -- Democratic Rep. Cal Dooley of Fresno and Republican Reps. Richard Pombo of Tracy and George Radanovich of Mariposa -- routinely use campaign funds for either gifts or flowers. A Bee review of a cross-section of these members' public filings over the past decade showed no campaign purchases of gifts whatsoever."
---------------------
Looks like Condit was a generous man indeed.
He even would give the frequent flyer miles earned by flying on government business to staffers, friends and family.
Levy told a friend how her secret Washington boyfriend took care of her plane ticket home last Christmas for a brief visit. Reportedly, there is no record of Condit purchasing air travel during November or December from his campaign account but he did fly on official business from San Francisco to Washington on December 14, 2000.
Hmmm...
Then there's the bracelet Chandra allegedly received from her boyfriend and wore to a family function in early April, shortly before her birthday.
This case gets more interesting as each day goes by and is a real eye-opener for those of us, such as myself, who are not routinely involved in politics.
Thumbs down to the paper for publishing the general location of their home...
I live in a similar rural setting and sure wouldn't want the non-stop drone of satellite trucks at my next door neighbors house.....not to mention all the rubberneckers...
posted on July 25, 2001 07:00:35 AM
camachinist - Pat Just curious as to whether or not there have been any local media reports in regards to Condits wife/family/friends reaction to these multi affairs.
Also, I've heard it mentioned that Condits affairs were well known by some in Washington DC. Those same people shared they had previously been told his wife was, and had been, very ill for a long time. I took those comments to mean since his wife was sooooo ill then it was an understandable reason for the affairs. Since I'm not from that area like you are, are you aware of her illness and what it might be? I've only seen two 'clips' with her in them, and she sure looked healthy enough to me.
posted on July 25, 2001 07:32:40 AM
The SF Chronicle reported that she suffers from a pretty common mental disorder that affects women mostly called Bonaphobia.
posted on July 25, 2001 12:32:13 PM
quote/ A senior aide to Gary Condit acknowledges that two of the congressman's longtime staff members appear to be key figures in a federal obstruction-of-justice investigation that began after the disappearance of Chandra Levy./end quote
posted on July 25, 2001 01:09:43 PM
LOL!!! Yea, but he refused (in the last day or two) to meet with the DC police again to answer new questions about times/dates that don't match; who drove him to VA to drop that watch box off; why would he drive to another state to throw trash away? Sure he's willing to meet with the FBI to do a 'profile' on Chandra.....not necessarily to answer other questions.
Not meeting with the DC police, at their request. How nice he's so special.
