D.S.K. – A ‘Thunderbold’ story for French Nation

‘This is a thunderbolt". The remarks are the last Socialist Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin.

Whatsoever the values of this new proof, whatever the character of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the French felt especially upset at the way the case was mannered in the days after his held.

It was not only his status that was flawed, but also that of the French nation in the eyes of the international community.

The "perp walk", the displaying of the blamed the news stories such as "Chez Perv" and "Frog Legs It", were broadly seemed as insulting and embarrassing.

"He was thrown to the wolves," said Lionel Jospin, in his veiled condemnation of the US system. And already the French media is debating about Dominique Strauss-Kahn's healing; even though there is clear-cut DNA test that a sexual assault did take place.

If the New York Times' report is to be thought- and we have yet to hear what the inquiry make of their own results - this hits at the very heart of the case. It questions the reliability of the key witness.

The list for socialist contenders for next year's presidential run is still open and will be for two more weeks. But it is surely ridiculous that Dominique Strauss-Kahn will enter again the race.

First, there is the calendar of the court case to thought. But just as crucial is that Mr. Strauss-Kahn's status, in the eyes of the French public, has been forever imperfected.

Away from the charges in New York, there has been too much discussed about his prior attacks and his questionable manner towards women. His arrest sparked some soul searching in France about behaviors in general towards the treatment of women in the workplace.

Campaigners against sexual harassment say they have seen a noteworthy raise in several reported abuse and harassment cases in present couple of days, from women who until now were worried of coming forward.

The investigation may ease the bail conditions, but it is still probably they will try to press a wrong allegations.

Denis Chemla, a French lawyer on the American bar, told "There isn't an investigator in the States who would take a risk on the basis of shamed witness like this." And so we must think the probability that DSK will come back to France in the next year - as a potential kingmaker.

He will be crucial in the competition - wherever his fans go, then so will the recommendation.

It may all hex bad news for the Elysee Palace. In topical weeks, President Nicolas Sarkozy has seen improving poll figures.

But there is a part of French society that grips to the idea this was a set-up. Conspiracies theories of political polluted play will get a new airing. It could eat in to the president's support.

Jean Marie Le Guen, a prominent Socialist lawmaker and supporter of Mr. Strauss-Kahn, says his friend will be an "vital" player in political life in the coming months.

"I expect he will soon be free," he said, "and able to observe the French people in the eyes once again."

Strauss-Kahn DNA 'related to maid'

According to US media, DNA found on the costumes of a New York hotel maid who blamed Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexually attacking her matches that of the past IMF chief.

The unverified reports quoted sources close to the inquiry. Further examinations from the room where the suspected assault happen are waiting. Mr Strauss-Kahn rejects the allegations, and resigned as chief of the IMF last week to shield himself. He is under house detention in a New York apartment, after a judge approved him a $1m  bail last week.

Reports about the DNA illustrations revealed after officials examined the work clothes of the 32-year-old hotel maid who says she was attacked in the New York Sofitel near Times Square on 14 May. Police and judicial representatives have denied to verify the reports, approved by the Associated Press and ABC News, among others.

The prosecutors are reported to be implemented additional tests on samples taken from the carpet and other surfaces in the hotel room.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn is blamed with seven counts including four criminal allegations - two of criminal sexual acts, one of trying rape and one of sexual violence- plus three wrong offences, including illegal custody.

His plaintiff, a refugee from the West African state of Guinea, told officials that Mr. Strauss-Kahn had approached her after she go into his hotel room to clean it.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn's defense team is likely to disagree that a sexual encounter happened, but that it was consensual.

"The forensic witness, we think will not be reliable with a violent encounter," Mr. Strauss-Kahn's lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, has said.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, is due to go into a proper appeal on 6 June.

He was perceived as a foremost candidate to be the next centre-left French presidential contender until news of the allegations broke.

IMF not to pay Dominique Strauss-Kahn’s bills for notorious hotel stay

 

IMF gives for all business-associated hotel invoices for its head, but current Dominique Strauss-Kahn's keep on in a lavishness suite of Sofitel here does not be eligible for any such compensation. 

It was during his stay at this Sofitel hotel that Kahn, who was chosen as managing director in 2007 having a remuneration in surfeit of US$5, 00,000 annually, was charged of spoiling in sexual attack on a chambermaid. 

According to the job requirement, IMF pays all the hotel expenditures acquired by Kahn for his "journey in the interest of the Fund". Nevertheless, after his notorious hotel stay here, IMF simplified that he was staying there on a secret business and Sofitel was as such not on the permitted list of hotels for stay of the Fund's personals.  The detailed facts for the room rate of Kahn's Sofitel hotel stay differs between US$500 to $3,000 per nighttime, but the utmost allowable hotel rate for IMF's personals in New York is much lower at $386 a night. 

According to IMF statement, presently, the utmost hotel fare in New York for personals on executive business is $386 a night, counting tax and service charges. Stories from the French media have hooked the fare of the lavishness suite where Kahn was staying at $3,000 per night, even as some US statements put the fare at only $525 per night. Sofitel's website brings up its numerous room fares within US$251 to395 per night.

"The Sofitel is not on the catalogue of New York hotels, which are commonly regular business hotels," IMF said. 

The Washington-founded polygonal financial organization said that Kahn was staying in New York on secret business and "by itself, he gives out of his own pocket for hotels". 

"IMF personals have obvious regulations for where they may stay and how much they may give on representative journey, with an conventional network of ideal hotels and set fares, discussed centrally," it added. 

In 2007, Kahn was appointed IMF head for a tenure of five years, but the conditions of his appointment included a section, as per which his period can be ended anytime. 

Presently, he was paid a wage of $420,930 per year and grants totaling to $75,350 per year, both net of taxes and entitled for inflation-associated climb every year. 

Besides, he was undertaken compensation for "sensible expenditures generally earned for amusement directly related to the business of the Fund" and also all his business-linked hotel costs and visits and hotel expenditures of his wife in definite cases. Also, he was given numerous retirement-associated advantages.

Strauss-Kahn- IMF chief alleged over New York 'sex offense'

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the chief of the International Monetary Fund, has been alleged by New York police over an accused sex assault on a hotel maid.

Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 62, was taken off an Air France plane at JFK airport in a few minutes before it gone for Paris. According to the police he faces three allegations, including tried rape. His lawyer told Reuters he would beg not culpable. The married past French finance minister is also thought a probable Socialist candidate for the presidency. 

Mr. Strauss-Kahn has been traveled high in the surveys and was seen as having a real opportunity of defeating President Nicolas Sarkozy. Martine Aubry, leader of France's Socialist Party, illustrates news of his detention as a "thunderbolt" which left her "astonished". Mr. Strauss-Kahn is anticipated to emerge before a New York state court later on Sunday. He had been planned to meet up German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday, but that meeting has now been postponed, reports say.

On Monday he had scheduled to be present at a meeting of European Union finance ministers in Brussels on Monday to talk about the bailouts of Portugal and Greece. Sources say his arrest is probably to set hurdles current efforts to strengthen the finances of struggling Eurozone member states. In a short statement posted online on Sunday, an IMF spokeswoman accepted Mr. Strauss-Kahn's detention and said the organization would not remark on the case.

"The IMF stays complete operating and functional," she added.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn's detention stretched in staged fashion as he was suspended to fly to Europe. New York's Port Authority’s spokesman said they arrested Mr. Strauss-Kahn at JFK airport at the call of the New York Police Department. Paul Browne NYPD spokesman said, Mr. Strauss-Kahn had been blamed with a illegal sexual act, tried rape and illicit locking up associating to a happening involving a 32-year-old woman. The Frenchman positions charged of a sexual assault on a maid at a Manhattan hotel.

Mr. Browne said the blames had been made by a 32-year-old woman who worked at the hotel, which has been recognized as the Sofitel near Times Square. His lodging there was illustrated by the New York Times as a lavishness suite costing US$ 3,000 per night.

Mr. Browne told, that we received a call that a chambermaid in a hotel in midtown Manhattan had been sexually attacked by the lodger of a luxury suite at that hotel, and that that person had escaped," "The maid expressed being by force assaulted, confined the room and sexually attacked," he said. Mr. Browne provided more points on the blames against Mr. Strauss-Kahn

"She told detectives he came out of the bathroom naked, ran down a hallway to the [suite] foyer where she was, pulled her into a bedroom and began to sexually assault her, according to her account." "She dragged away from him and he pulled her down a hallway into the bathroom where he engaged in an unlawful sexual act, according to her account to police officers. He attempted to lock her into the hotel room." By the time police performed their duties out that lodger of the room was Mr. Strauss-Kahn, the IMF chief was on board an Air France plane at John F Kennedy airport, about to leave for Paris.

"Our police officer requested of the airport officials that they end the plane from departure, went to the airport and took him into charge," Mr. Browne said. "If our detectives had been 10 minutes delayed he would have been in the air and on their way to France."The woman has been treated at hospital for slight wounds. He said Mr. Strauss-Kahn showed to have gone the hotel "in a rush", parting his mobile phone and other personal belongings behind.

Mr Strauss-Kahn ran for leadership of the French Socialist Party in 2006 but lost to Segolene Royale.

He was appointed managing director of the IMF the following year.

Mr Strauss-Kahn has succeeded admire for his stewardship of the IMF, which he has directed through thorny times including the current world financial crisis. But in 2008 he was inquired by the IMF board over his association with a female member of his staff.

 The board lined his actions "imitated a grave mistake of judgment" but that the association had been consensual. He expressed regret to IMF staff and his wife, French TV personality Anne Sinclair. Mr. Strauss-Kahn has not yet declared whether he plans to run in the 2012 French presidential elections, but had broadly been likely to do so.