Levys: Didn't ask Condit to uphold privacy

Susan and Robert Levy

MODESTO, California (CNN) -- The parents of missing former intern Chandra Levy said Wednesday they never requested Rep. Gary Condit, D-California, not to speak about his relationship with their daughter as he has said in recent interviews.

"[We're] just trying to make sense of it all, listening to everything," Susan Levy told reporters outside their home.

"We just want you to know that we haven't given up our hopes and our prayers to find my daughter -- that is the utmost important thing for us."

The Levys have said Condit was having an affair with their daughter; Condit has acknowledged only that they were friends and that he is "not perfect."

VIDEO Chad and Cadee Condit resign from California Governor Gray Davis' staff. CNN's Bob Franken reports. (August 28) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media) Rep. Gary Condit's son Chad talks to CNN's Larry King in an exclusive interview. Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   MORE STORIES • Condit children quit California governor's staff   • California governor 'disheartened' over Condit's conduct   • The Condit interviews   • Flight attendant stands by Condit story     EXTRA INFORMATION • Transcript: Gary Condit interview   • Key players   • Timeline   • Profile: Gary Condit     RESOURCES • Statement from Chad and Cadee Condit   • Statement from Gov. Gray Davis on Chad and Cadee Condit   • Transcript: Chad Condit on "Larry King Live"   • Message Board: Condit and the Levy case

In interviews with ABC's Connie Chung and others last week, Condit said he did not want to discuss the nature of his relationship with Chandra Levy out of respect for his family and because of a "specific" request from the Levys.

After repeating that line a couple times to Chung, he later acknowledged it wasn't a direct request from the family, but something their lawyer said on a television show a few nights before.

Condit was referring to an interview on CNN's "Wolf Blitzer Reports" last Tuesday with Levy attorney Billy Martin.

"They [the Levys] don't really want to hear anything about the relationship; they don't want to know how he felt about Chandra; they don't want to know how Chandra felt about him -- those are issues they'd like to put behind them," Martin said.

The Levys said Wednesday they never requested the congressman not to talk about the relationship.

Chandra Levy, 24, a former U.S. Bureau of Prisons intern, has been missing for nearly four months. Law enforcement officials have interviewed Condit four times, but Washington police have said he is not a suspect in her disappearance.

"I hope that someone will come forward and help us bring to light where my daughter is," Susan Levy said.

Condit's son and daughter resigned from posts in California Gov. Gray Davis' administration Tuesday after Davis criticized their father.

Asked Wednesday what she thought about the resignations, Susan Levy said she was "not involved in politics."

"I'm staying out of that right now. I want my daughter home. I have a lot of pain inside and that's my concern right now, it's not politics," she told reporters.

She said she and her husband had received a letter from the governor and his wife expressing their sympathy.

Seven Condit staff members, including one of his top deputies, Mike Dayton, are scheduled for CNN's "Larry King Live" Thursday night at 9 EDT.