Condit's Son Defends Father on Cable

SACRAMENTO – Gary Condit's family hopes the congressman will not seek re-election, Condit's son said Monday on CNN's Larry King Live.

Chad Condit, 33, also said he "has no reason not to trust" his father, who has admitted he had a close relationship with missing Washington, D.C., intern Chandra Levy.

"I just feel bad people are saying he had something to do with the disappearance," Chad Condit said.

Speaking publicly for the first time about his father's troubles, Chad Condit, who repeatedly referred to his father as "Gary," said his father is "just a decent citizen that would never, ever hurt anybody."

Condit has come under fire from Democratic leaders and constituents for a prime-time television interview Thursday, in which he declined to answer repeated questions about the nature of his relationship with Levy.

"This has been heartbreaking to Gary Condit," the younger Condit said.

The congressman's son defended his father's performance during the interview, saying his family knows the details but agrees "the nature of the relationship shouldn't be discussed on national TV."

Chad Condit, a father of three sons, also harshly criticized his boss, Gov. Gray Davis, for saying Monday that he was "disheartened that Congressman Condit did not speak out more quickly or more fully" in the interview with ABC's Connie Chung.

Davis said he did not see the Chung interview, but had read a transcript and media reports about it.

"There is no honor in kicking somebody when they are down," Condit's son said.

Chad Condit works as a Central Valley liaison for Davis, a longtime friend and political ally of his father. Condit's daughter, Cadee, also works as a special assistant to Davis.

Before joining Davis' staff, Chad Condit had been chief of staff for Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza, D-Atwater, a Condit protege.

Chad Condit said that he has abandoned plans to run for Cardoza's seat since the scandal broke.

"If this is what public service is about, I don't know that I would want any part of it," Chad Condit said.