NYPost

CONDIT'S RETURNING TO ZERO'S WELCOME

By DEBORAH ORIN

September 2, 2001 -- WASHINGTON - Rep. Gary Condit returns to the nation's capital this week like a loser on "Survivor" - a marked man with his team of fellow Democrats eager to vote him off Capitol Hill.

An aide said he'll be accompanied by his wife, Carolyn, who usually remains home in California. But her presence is not likely to improve his reception.

Rep. Pete King (R-L.I.) predicted that Condit will face a big chill: "He's in bad shape, and any time someone's political position is weakened, other politicians look at you differently and stay away from you."

One big worry for Condit is that House Democratic leader Richard Gephardt has turned against him, saying his lack of candor about his affair with missing intern Chandra Levy in his TV interview with Connie Chung was "disturbing and wrong."

More ominously, Gephardt has stopped defending Condit's clearance to see the nation's top secrets as a member of the House Intelligence Committee and says, "I need to talk to my colleagues about that."

If Democrats want to bounce Condit from the intelligence panel and he refuses to go quietly, the procedure calls for Gephardt to introduce a resolution removing Condit and the House would then vote on it.

But that's not Condit's only problem as he returns to Washington:

* D.C. Police Chief Charles Ramsey has left the door open to seeking a fifth interview with Condit about Levy's vanishing, and has continued to question Condit's candor.

* Some conservative women's groups, angered by the failure of liberal groups like NOW to speak out against Condit, are mulling plans to march with anti-Condit signs.

* Federal prosecutors are said to be examining whether to charge Condit with suborning perjury for allegedly asking flight attendant Anne Marie Smith to lie about their affair.

But former federal prosecutor Cynthia Alksne, a Democrat who's been sharply critical of Condit, says that's unlikely - with one big caveat.

"Unless they think he's somehow involved in Chandra's murder and they can prove it, I don't think they'll bother with those kinds of charges. If they think he's good for the murder, then they will to bring pressure on him and his staff," she said.

* Smith's lawyer has hinted at a possible lawsuit accusing Condit of slandering his client by claiming she lied about their romance.

* Chandra's family is also considering a lawsuit against Condit to force him to answer questions about her disappearance.

* At some point, the House ethics panel is expected to take up charges that Condit brought disrepute on Congress.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Answers

At some point, the House ethics panel is expected to take up charges that Condit brought disrepute on Congress.

They have got to be kidding!

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

I wondered if anyone would be brought up short by that comment!

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001