A police source has told Fox News that after interviewing Rep. Gary Condit, D-Calif., for a second time about missing 24-year-old Chandra Levy they would now also like to talk to his wife.
Levy went missing eight weeks ago, and was abruptly dismissed from her internship at the Federal Bureau of Prisons shortly before she disappeared from her Washington apartment on May 1, Newsweek magazine reported in its July 2 issue.
Levy had told friends and family that she hoped to be hired full-time with the Bureau when her internship ended, but a casual remark to a co-worker ended her aspirations. Although she was planning to attend commencement ceremonies at the University of Southern California in mid-May, Levy mentioned to a personnel officer at the Bureau that she had technically completed her master's degree in public administration in December 2000.
This new information, Levy was told, meant that her internship was invalid. She was asked to leave.
Upset over losing her position, Newsweek reported her friends and family as having told police, Levy told her landlord on April 28 that she would be leaving her apartment. Three days later, she disappeared with only her house keys, leaving behind her wallet and packed bags.
Media speculation in the eight weeks following her disappearance has focused on her possible affair with, and implications of foul play involving, Condit, a 53-year-old married congressman representing Levy's hometown of Modesto, Calif.
Condit himself has given contradictory and evasive information about his relationship with Levy, but Newsweek reported that District of Columbia police are instead following theories that Levy, distraught over both her personal and professional lives, might have committed suicide or decided to disappear.
The magazine also reported that Levy may have been upset that Condit apparently did nothing to help her retain her position at the Bureau of Prisons, and that Levy's parents became suspicious of their daughter's relationship with the congressman when they saw in a newspaper report that Condit did not drink alcohol. Levy had told them that she was seeing a teetotaler involved with Congress, but was secretive about further details.
Condit himself, who has been dogged by television news crews for most of June, was questioned by Washington police for the second time Saturday afternoon, according to Washington D.C. Police Sergeant Joe Gentile.
"The congressman was responsive to our inquiries," Terrance W. Gainer, Washington's executive assistant chief of police, said.
Condit first met with police on Thursday night. On Friday, he issued a statement saying he "was very glad" to have met Levy's parents, Robert and Susan Levy, on Thursday night, and that "my prayers, hopes and sympathy are with them."
The Levys, on the advice of their legal counsel, well-known Washington attorney Billy Martin, had previously refused to take a phone call from Condit to their California home.
The congressman, who has denied having an affair with Levy, also said in his Friday statement that he has been in contact with police "to let them know that I wanted to provide whatever information I could that could help locate Chandra."
Condit had earlier described Levy as a "good friend" and contributed $10,000 from his campaign funds towards a reward.
Deputy Police Chief Terry Gainer reiterated that Condit is not a suspect in Levy's disappearance.
The congressman's statement was issued by his new lawyer, criminal defense attorney Abbe Lowell. The announcement came one day after Levy's parents pleaded with the public for help finding their daughter, who has not been seen since April 30.
Mike Lynch, Condit's chief of staff, said Lowell was hired because he is familiar with the media and Washington, not because of his experience as a criminal defense attorney.
Condit described Lowell as a friend for the past three years and "an expert in the ways of Washington." Lowell's clients have included New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli, Rhode Island Rep. Patrick Kennedy and James Riady, the Indonesian billionaire who has pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations.
Lowell also was the Democratic counsel on the House Judiciary Committee during the impeachment proceedings against President Clinton. Condit, a conservative among House Democrats, voted to impeach Clinton.
The Levys issued their own statement Thursday, read to the press by their lawyer. Billy Martin said that they do not believe their daughter "just walked away" and would like police to upgrade their investigation "to something beyond a missing-person investigation."
Martin said that a toll-free telephone number — 800-860-6552 — and an e-mail address — levy@dejlaw.com — had been set up to enable anyone with information about Chandra's disappearance to contact the family.
He added that two former Washington homicide detectives who now work for his law firm would help conduct an investigation separate from that of the police.
As for Chandra Levy's relationship with Condit, Martin said that "we hope that during the investigation we can really find out the depth of that relationship."
Mrs. Levy, her husband by her side, read a short statement outside the police station but did not take questions.
"We are very heartbroken that we do not know where our daughter is," she said. "We continue to believe that she will come back alive."
Fox News' Kelly O. Beaucar, Rita Cosby and the Associated Press contributed to this report
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