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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) - Former California Rep. Gary Condit is seeking $209 million from three tabloids, saying they published several "false and defamatory articles" linking him to the 2001 murder of federal intern Chandra Levy.
Condit, a Democrat, sued The National Enquirer, Globe and Star Magazine tabloids along with their parent company, American Media Inc., seeking $19 million in actual damages and $190 million in punitive damages.
In a statement, Boca Raton, Fla.-based AMI said it stands behind "the editorial integrity of what we have published." AMI attorney Michael Kahane said he expects the lawsuit to be dismissed.
"Many of the false and defamatory articles, their headlines and the statements contained therein conveyed that Plaintiff Condit was involved in deviant and perverted sexual conduct which directly or indirectly led to the kidnapping and/or murder of Ms. Levy," according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
The court document details 45 pages of headlines Condit alleges defamed him, such as "Congressman & the intern. Chandra killed in kinky sex game!"
The lawsuit claims the tabloids failed to reasonably investigate the stories and paid sources for the false statements "in a calculated effort" to boost profits.
During the yearlong investigation into Levy's disappearance, Condit told police he had a romance with Levy but knew nothing of her disappearance. He is not considered a suspect in her unsolved death, which was ruled a homicide after her remains were discovered in a Washington, D.C., park in May 2002.
The case drew months of negative publicity and was cited as the main cause of Condit's re-election defeat in the March 2002 primary.
His wife, Carolyn, settled a lawsuit with the Enquirer for an undisclosed amount in July.
Condit has another lawsuit pending, an $11 million defamation complaint against author Dominick Dunne.
Condit, a Democrat, sued The National Enquirer, Globe and Star Magazine tabloids along with their parent company, American Media Inc., seeking $19 million in actual damages and $190 million in punitive damages.
In a statement, Boca Raton, Fla.-based AMI said it stands behind "the editorial integrity of what we have published." AMI attorney Michael Kahane said he expects the lawsuit to be dismissed.
"Many of the false and defamatory articles, their headlines and the statements contained therein conveyed that Plaintiff Condit was involved in deviant and perverted sexual conduct which directly or indirectly led to the kidnapping and/or murder of Ms. Levy," according to the lawsuit filed Friday in Palm Beach County Circuit Court.
The court document details 45 pages of headlines Condit alleges defamed him, such as "Congressman & the intern. Chandra killed in kinky sex game!"
The lawsuit claims the tabloids failed to reasonably investigate the stories and paid sources for the false statements "in a calculated effort" to boost profits.
During the yearlong investigation into Levy's disappearance, Condit told police he had a romance with Levy but knew nothing of her disappearance. He is not considered a suspect in her unsolved death, which was ruled a homicide after her remains were discovered in a Washington, D.C., park in May 2002.
The case drew months of negative publicity and was cited as the main cause of Condit's re-election defeat in the March 2002 primary.
His wife, Carolyn, settled a lawsuit with the Enquirer for an undisclosed amount in July.
Condit has another lawsuit pending, an $11 million defamation complaint against author Dominick Dunne.
