Judge dismisses libel suit by wife of Gary Condit

[Freddie Stubbs]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - A federal judge has dismissed a libel lawsuit filed last year by the wife of former California Rep. Gary Condit against USA Today and its parent company, Gannett Co.

U.S. District Judge Bruce Black ruled this week that there is no jurisdiction to hear the case in New Mexico.

The lawsuit was filed in New Mexico because of state law that lets plaintiffs sue up to three years after a published report. It was in response to a July 27, 2001, USA Today article about the disappearance of Chandra Levy, a federal intern whose remains were found in a Washington park the following May.

Condit is not considered a suspect in Levy's unsolved death, but police sources have told The Associated Press that the former California Democratic congressman told investigators he had been having an affair with Levy.

more: http://www.fresnobee.com/state_wire/story/8948213p-9841827c.html

[zanana]

1. That's terrible.

I'm no fan of Gary Condit, but the media in general owe him a HUGE apology for dedicating an entire summer to slandering him and ruining his life.

[Freddie Stubbs]

2. And Condit owes California Democrats a huge apology

In 2001 California Democrats controlled both houses of the legislature and the Governor's office. It was time to draw new lines for Congressional districts, and they could have sent several Republican Congressman into retirement. But they had to put more Democratic voters into Condit's previously safe district. Democrats only gained one congressional seat in the 2002 elections.