Washington Post staff writers Arthur Santana and Bill Miller report. Excerpt:
Law enforcement authorities have asked Rep. Gary A. Condit to submit to a polygraph examination and accepted an offer from Condit’s attorney to search his apartment, D.C. Police Chief Charles H. Ramsey said yesterday.
Investigators also plan to interview members of Condit’s staff and take a DNA sample from the congressman. “An offer has been made, and it would be irresponsible on our part not to take advantage of it,” Ramsey said. “If we’re able to take a sample, if we’re able to do a polygraph, if we’re able to conduct a search, that would go a long way.”
On Monday, Condit’s attorney, Abbe D. Lowell, publicly offered the congressman’s cooperation in the search for Chandra Levy, in hopes of answering any lingering questions on the part of investigators. One aim, Lowell said, was to allow police to complete their tasks and then turn their attention to others who have been interviewed.
Law enforcement sources said three men have been asked to take polygraphs, but whether Condit will agree to the test was unclear yesterday. Lawyers generally counsel clients not to take polygraphs, and at Monday’s announcement, Lowell expressed skepticism about the tests, saying they “leave a lot to be desired.”
“There’s no question to test,” he said in response to a reporter who asked whether Condit would agree to a polygraph. “There’s nothing that a lie detector can test. . . . If the police find [a polygraph] useful at some point, we will listen to them.”