Woman's attorney says he'll take legal action against Condit

U.S. Rep. Gary Condit gave interviews last week in which he admitted he had "not been perfect."

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Amid signs of increasing political trouble for U.S. Rep. Gary Condit, the attorney for a woman who alleges she had an affair with the California Democrat said Sunday he plans to file some kind of legal action against Condit.

Jim Robinson, who represents flight attendant Anne Marie Smith, would not specifically describe what he plans to file, but he said it would happen Monday.

"I can't really tip my hand right now. I would like the congressman to be the first one to find out," Robinson said on "Fox News Sunday." "I'm a civil attorney, and, you know, I mean, obviously there are criminal investigations going on all over the place with this guy, but I can't say."

VIDEO Listen to the entire Condit interview with affiliate KOVR/SBG (part 1) (August 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Condit interview with affiliate KOVR/SBG (part 2) (August 24) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES Point-counterpoint: The Condit interviews   Californians react to Condit interview   Connie Chung 'shocked'     EXTRA INFORMATION Transcript: Gary Condit interview   Key players   Timeline   Profile: Gary Condit     RESOURCES On the Scene: Bill Schneider: Condit letter offers no apologies for behavior   Message Board: The case of the missing intern

Smith, 39, alleges she had a yearlong affair with Condit and said the 53-year-old married congressman tried to get her to sign a sworn statement in June that said they had not had a relationship.

But it is Condit's relationship with another woman -- 24-year-old Chandra Levy -- that is causing him the most trouble.

After months of public silence about the May disappearance of the former government intern, Condit last week gave print and broadcast interviews in which he said he had "not been perfect."

Condit refused to specify the nature of his relationship with Levy and rebutted Levy family allegations that he has not cooperated with police in their investigation of the former intern's disappearance.

He also denied having a relationship with Smith.

In the Monday edition of Newsweek magazine, he said, "In my opinion, we did not have a relationship. It would probably be her definition of a relationship vs. mine."

Abbe Lowell, Condit's attorney, said Sunday the purported affidavit came from a conversation between Smith's lawyer and Joe Cotchett, the San Francisco lawyer who represented Condit at that time.

"It never was something Congressman Condit sent to Ms. Smith; it was lawyer to lawyer," said Lowell on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Poll finds support slipping

A CNN poll of 501 adults in Condit's Modesto area district indicates the congressman's troubles are costing him support.

The poll, conducted Friday and Saturday, indicates a majority of those who voted for him last year would vote against him in 2002; just 40 percent of Condit voters in 2000 would vote to re-elect.

Lowell said on "Meet the Press" that Condit has not considered resigning from Congress.

"I don't think he's considering that at all," Lowell said. "I mean, one of the things that people will know about Congressman Condit is that he really cares about his constituents and wants to serve them, and he's got another year to do that.

"And, you know, the question whether he runs for re-election or can run for re-election is one question. The other question is, can he effectively represent their interests in the next year? He thinks he can," Lowell said.

Some Democrats appeared to be less certain.

Terry McAuliffe, the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, said he was disappointed in Condit's performance and pointedly refused to endorse the lawmaker.

Asked on CBS' "Face the Nation" whether Condit should resign, McAuliffe said, "That decision's up to Gary, and that's up to the voters in central California. They have to make that decision."

McAuliffe said it was possible that Democrats in California might redraw Condit's district in such a way that he would lose some key areas of support.

U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel, D-New York, dismissed GOP calls for Condit's resignation.

"I don't really think that we should be pushing toward resignation," Rangel said on CNN's "Late Edition With Wolf Blitzer."

"At the end of the day when you think about it, Gary Condit not only has not admitted any wrongdoing, but the District of Columbia Police Department says he is not a suspect, and -- with the exception of leaks -- we don't even have any evidence to take to the Ethics Committee."