But there was no proof Condit did anything besides commit adultery. He was smeared to pieces by the media and is now out selling used cars or insurance or something like that.
I'm not a proponent of adultery, but I'm also not in favor of accusing someone of murder without proof.
[edit] Post-congressional litigation
[edit] Dominick Dunne slander suit
Condit initiated a lawsuit against Vanity Fair writer Dominick Dunne in a New York federal court in late 2002 for $11 million, claiming that statements made by Dunne about Condit libeled him. The comments indicated that Condit ordered the death of missing Modesto intern Chandra Levy in 2001. Condit's attorney said the defamation lawsuit was based on comments Dunne repeated on national radio and television programs in December 2001 where he suggested Condit frequented Middle Eastern embassies for sexual activity with prostitutes, and during those times, he made it clear that he wanted someone to get rid of Levy. Wood said that Dunne's comments "conveyed that Gary Condit was involved in her kidnapping and in her murder, that friends of Gary Condit had her kidnapped, put in an airplane and dropped in the Atlantic Ocean." Dunne paid an undisclosed amount to settle that lawsuit in March 2005 [20]. Dunne said he had been "completely hoodwinked" by an unreliable informant. Subsequently Condit sued Dunne again, charging him with "revivifying" the slander in an appearance on Larry King Live in November 2005. In July 2008 a federal judge dismissed the second lawsuit filed against Dunne. [21]
[edit] Sonoran News defamation of character
In July 2006, Condit sued the Sonoran News, a free weekly circular, for defamation of character, after the publication wrote "that Condit was the 'main focus in the Chandra Levy case in 2001, after lying to investigators about his affair with Levy.'"[15]
The case was dismissed in July 2007 when the judge ruled that Condit had not proved the statement was false, or that the paper had published it with actual malice.
[edit] Baskin Robbins franchises revoked
Following his congressional career, Condit moved to Arizona.[15] In February 2005, he started two Baskin-Robbins ice cream shop franchises with his wife and children in Glendale. In March 2006, Baskin-Robbins revoked the franchising agreement, claiming the Condits owed them $14,221.29. Among the corporation's complaints was that the Condits continued to use the Baskin-Robbins name after the franchises were revoked.[15]
[edit] Son and daughter prosecuted for PAC fraud
On January 10, 2006, the California Fair Political Practices Commission filed a $2 million suit against Condit's son Chad and daughter Cadee, alleging violations of the Political Reform Act in relation to Justice PAC.[15][22]
According to the FPPC complaint, the "purported mission of Defendant Justice PAC was to explore then-Congressman Gary Condit's press coverage." The PAC had been originally established in 1999 under a different name, "Keep California Golden," which was to finance "then-Congressman Condit's opportunities to run for state office and to pursue issues of importance to him at the state level." The name change took place at Condit's orders in a letter dated March 11, 2002, in which Condit also fired the PAC's treasurer and ordered that his son Chad would take over. Chad remained as treasurer until the PAC was dissolved in March 15, 2005.[23]
The FPPC complaint notes that both Chad and Cadee had been working in the administration of California governor Gray Davis, but resigned "in a show of support for their father" during the growing Chandra Levy scandal in August 2001.[23] Cadee had been making $52,000 a year for working in Davis' private office; Chad had been paid $110,000 a year for acting as the governor's personal representative in Central Valley.[24]
The FPPC alleges that Chad and Cadee misused funds donated to the Justice PAC for their personal enrichment in the months between March 2002 and June 2003. The FPPC asserts the two took $226,000 for "no discernible work" and that as a result, the PAC's assets dropped from $270,793 in February 2002 to $1,513.87 at the end of June 2003. The money was allegedly paid to develop a documentary about their father, though neither child has any experience with filmmaking; and as "Christmas bonuses."[23]
If found responsible, Condit's children could be fined for three times as much as the amount in question, bringing the total fines demanded up to about $2 million.[23]
The FPPC enforcement actions against both Condit children were dropped quietly in 2007.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Condit
?
