Dan Frisa
Sunday, June 24, 2001

Condit did meet last week, briefly, with the girl's parents who traveled to the nation's capital to meet with their new high-profile lawyer, Billy Martin, who represented Marcia Lewis, mother of Monica Lewinsky, in the other infamous intern scandal.

A second attorney, criminal defense lawyer Abbe Lowell, has been hired by Condit, and accompanied him at the meeting with the Levys. Lowell worked as a defense attorney for Clinton during the impeachment proceedings in the House and Senate. Condit had previously hired civil attorney Joseph Cotchett, who unsuccessfully sought retractions from various publications for several stories on the case.

Missing since April 30, the 24-year-old Levy is believed by her parents to have had an affair with the 53-year-old married Democrat.

Condit has literally run from coverage of the story since its inception and most recently has been seen on endlessly repeated video clips actually hurriedly avoiding television reporters inside the U.S. Capitol building.

Increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress in finding their daughter, the Levys have stepped up their media appearances in the more than seven weeks since she seems to have vanished from her apartment in Washington.

The congressman from Ceres, California, has refused to speak publicly about his relationship with Chandra. His office initially issued a statement calling her a good friend and fine person, though denying any romantic connection between the two.

Two things are likely to result from having engaged legal counsel. First, the pressure on Condit to go public is sure to be increased from the already growing calls for him to do so. Second, direct comment from the Levys themselves will be severely curtailed if not eliminated altogether.

Condit has indicated he may be considering an appearance on a major network broadcast such as 60 Minutes or 20/20, but don't hold your breath.

Telephone records show numerous calls were made by Chandra to a private number accessing the congressman's personal pager. Levy's parents actually called the number themselves after reviewing Chandra's phone bill recently.

Other media stories report that personnel at her apartment building related Chandra's intent, at one point, to move into the apartment of "her boyfriend."

Curiously, Condit's wife was reportedly in Washington, D.C. for a week at the time Chandra "disappeared" without a trace. Even more curious is the fact that Condit apparently neglected to tell the police about this fact.

Why would that be? Wouldn't that be a convincing alibi?

Obviously, something is not right with this whole sad episode. The more we learn, the more things don't add up.

Stay tuned.

E-mail Dan: danfrisa@newsmax.com.

Dan Frisa represented New York in the United States Congress and served four terms in the New York State Assembly.

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