oh you mean like every high profile accused in the nations history.

A plot, right. A member of his own party admitted the perv tried the same thing with her own daughter

I guess since hes French he should get special treatment?

frankly i think the conspiracy theories stink of racism toward the victim, who has no criminal record, no history of such accusations, yet happens to be of african descent. Not to mention anti American bias by the french, "Hes being shown in Handcuffs Mondieu!" Its our god damned country, and sonsofbitches do the perp walk in our country, meanwhile their country sends press after the victim of the rape. Ass backwards country.

I'm shocked that non-Americans are only just now realizing that the American press almost always acts as judge and executioner of the accused before the facts are out. The perp walk? That's a time honored tradition of character assassination & trial by press. At least Britain has a reasonable protection against libel, despite its ridiculous tabloids. We believe this kind of crap is protected by the 1st Amendment.

Yeah, because its better to send the paparazzi after the accuser...

What motive does he have to commit the attack? His wife said that he is a bit of a womaniser but he wouldn't go that far. Also, I'm sure being the head on the IMF and being able to post $1M in bail he could afford a discreet escort.

Re media treatment, that's not a good thing. Everyone is entitled to a fair trial, this sort of populist trial by public opinion is stupid.

"What motive does he have to commit the attack? His wife said that he is a bit of a womaniser but he wouldn't go that far. Also, I'm sure being the head on the IMF and being able to post $1M in bail he could afford a discreet escort."

The guy gets off on this stuff? You seriously believe that high profile, rich individuals dont commit rape? Please...

ROFL, you have no sense of irony, Santa - whining about bias while engaging in vitriolic attacks on the French people. Being outraged at our piss poor treatment of the rights of the accused is not bias.

This event has destroyed his career, even if eventually he is exonerated. UMP activists were the first to break this story. And it just so happens that DSK has been trouncing Sarkozy in the polls. Plus he had been moving the IMF in a progressive direction. The Spitzer story came out right as he was about to head up the SEC. You don't have to be Glenn Beck to connect the dots here.

I'm not saying that rich, high profile people don't commit rape, but he can't be that stupid to try it in a hotel in a foreign country. He can't be a complete idiot.

On a related note, either Tristane Banon has changed her story or The Guardian can't add numbers= http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/16/dominique-strauss-khan-tristane-banon
If she is 31 now, an attack in 2007 would not put her in her ' early 20s'.

Plenty bias, my distaste for the french is a result of the French public's continued demonstration of their abject hypocrisy. As I said they are up in arms about showing the accused in handcuffs while they send paparazzi to the house of the accuser, a potential rape victim. What we have here is different cultures, neither is right or wrong, but the French public has shown time and again they have no interest in such scruples. American soil or not the pervert should be treated as the French treat their prisoners

This is a country that complains about American arrogance. If we are ugly Americans, the French are right there with us

Also, DSK's wife has stated that the NYPD have changed their story, at first they said the attack happened just after 1pm, but changed it to noon when they found out he had lunch with his daughter not long after 1 (according to her).

DSKs wife theres a non-interested party

we'll see the evidence, its all speculation at this point. Mister SK is going to have the best criminal attorney in the country running his defense. The man was accused of rape, and he is not above the law

Ah yes, the American press never go after the alleged rape victims. Just ask the women from Georgia and Lake Tahoe who accused Roethlisberger. We're so scrupulous. I'm glad Mr. Anti-Authoritarian has so much contempt for the judicial process.

It sure is hella convenient for Sarkozy, but this DSK has a history of sexual indiscretions. Also, for this to have been a conspiracy it would have required a lot of American participation. From what I've read about DSK he would have been the ideal Socialist French president from the American perspective. Now, with Sarko polling so low, the US will probably have to deal with a significantly more lefty president instead of this SINO.

While a honeytrap is possible, it isn't likely. Putin33's just mad that a politician he vaguely agrees with has been accused of something wicked.

"The man was accused of rape, and he is not above the law"

Wait, now you're invoking the rule of law on us? You're ridiculous.

It is well known that Sarkozy has very good relations with the NYPD from his days as Interior Minister.

Yes, I defend all vaguely center-left politicians who head up such beacons of Marxism-Leninism as the IMF.

"I'm glad Mr. Anti-Authoritarian has so much contempt for the judicial process. "

where have i showed any contempt for the judicial process?

"Wait, now you're invoking the rule of law on us? You're ridiculous. "

Um, why? Have i committed a crime I am unaware of? Also have I been personal with you in anyway recently, Ive been trying to cool this down

"It is well known that Sarkozy has very good relations with the NYPD from his days as Interior Minister. "

So where does that leave the victim? Whats Sarkozy's relationship with her?

So Putin, im assuming, that although this man was accused of Rape in New York, you feel the NYPD should have turned a blind eye and let him fly back to France scott free.


Im sure it would help tourism to New York, not sure if it would be the right crowd

"Yes, I defend all vaguely center-left politicians who head up such beacons of Marxism-Leninism as the IMF."

Oh please. If this guy were a wishy-washy conservative in the same way he's a wishy-washy socialist you'd be on the opposite side of the argument.


"It is well known that Sarkozy has very good relations with the NYPD from his days as Interior Minister. "

Just the blowback from this (if it were a hoax) is enough to keep Sarko from doing it. Let's say DSK was with his daughter at the time of the alleged rape. That should be easily proven. When it is, at least two of the world's largest media systems (US and France) will be hounding the lady and dissecting the circumstances of the case. There's still a ways to go before the French election. If Sarko was behind it it could easily be revealed before the election, and if not it would be afterwords, destroying his presidency. It makes no sense for him to do this this way, since it could be so easily revealed.


And Putin33, don't throw this woman under the bus. Prejudging DSK's snow white purity is just as ridiculous as prejudging his guilt. He's innocent until guilty in a court of law, but you need to take allegations like this seriously. It's absolutely POSSIBLE that he did it. Indeed, with his history it's rather probable. I hope justice is done one way or the other, whether it be this scumball frog being thrown in jail or this lying maid suitably punished.

The American media coverage of this case is quite frightening. Presumption of innocence applies on French big wigs too, even if they have a very suspicious track record.

Now, it is evident that DSK's career is over. Even if proven innocent, medias will inform of all his previous affairs (for they will be surely used at the court by the lady's lawyer) and even though French are not as uptight when it comes to this stuff as American public, DSK was quite a target for various 'almost rape' accusations.

And Sarko has other more immediate problems that DSK, he's trailing even behind Le Pen's daughter in polls and faces a threat of not sneaking into the second round at all. His platform's evergreens like staunch secularism or crime eradication are successfully fuelling her campaign, extremism with a human face, more than his so Sarko has very little maneuvring space. Unless the left screws up something big time, which is not impossible, he'll face an almost unsurmountable challenge next year.

"Also have I been personal with you in anyway recently, Ive been trying to cool this down"

Right, the last conversation we had you said I'd kill millions of Americans if given the chance. That's your way of cooling things down, I guess.

"where have i showed any contempt for the judicial process?"

Your strident support for humiliating and trial-by-press of people who haven't been convicted of anything yet.

"Oh please. If this guy were a wishy-washy conservative in the same way he's a wishy-washy socialist you'd be on the opposite side of the argument."

Sure, if you say so.

"It makes no sense for him to do this this way, since it could be so easily revealed."

And yet it makes sense for DSK to do this, in such a public place, in NYC, with so much at stake? Sarko's popularity is below 30%. This could be his hail mary. He is known to be ruthless. It took Kobe Bryant a year to finally get finished with the rape trial. There's no way DSK will recover from this time, even if exonerated. And there's no PS candidate with comparable popularity.

"It's absolutely POSSIBLE that he did it. Indeed, with his history it's rather probable. I hope justice is done one way or the other, whether it be this scumball frog being thrown in jail or this lying maid suitably punished."

I'm not saying it's impossible. I don't think DSK is pure. I'm just saying it's awfully convenient for a lot of people for this to come out, and the fact that UMP activists were the first to announce this, combined with the other crap about the porsche and what not at the same time, makes this whole thing stink. Also, there's this:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article6945960.ece

"A recent book on the Socialist party included comments allegedly made by Frédéric Lefebvre, a top aide to Sarkozy, that any presidential campaign by Strauss-Kahn “would not last a week”. “We have photographs,” he is quoted as saying in the book. “We will circulate them. They will not please the French people.”

@ Invictus: "...Prejudging DSK's snow white purity is just as ridiculous as prejudging his guilt. ... It's absolutely POSSIBLE that he did it. Indeed, with his history it's rather probable... "

And now you're violating the principle of guilty until proven innocent. No matter whether you find it probable or not, no matter what the political situation is, you should assume he's innocent. Let the judge decide.

@Putin, what do you think the solution should be? A media ban on reporting on all people accused of a crime until proven guilty?

... also you say the "American press". Which countries prevent such discussion? I am pretty sure the British press write stories about people accused of a crime all the time. The Australian press certainly does.

"And now you're violating the principle of guilty until proven innocent. No matter whether you find it probable or not, no matter what the political situation is, you should assume he's innocent. Let the judge decide."

You misunderstand how the system works, basvanopheusden. He is innocent until proven guilty. But the charges against him are serious and should be taken seriously. All I'm saying is it's possible he did in. As in, there looks like enough of a case here for a trial. Assuming he's innocent means that the prosecution has to provide evidence against him to convince a judge. It does not mean that we should jump to the conclusion that the claims are groundless.

A press ban would be great, read any social psychology research on pretrial press coverage and you will see that it has a massive impact on the juries and the judges. It makes it almost impossible to have a fair and unbiased trial. I'm not taking sides here.

While I have no experience with the United States' justice system (being Dutch myself), I believe I do understand that particular principle. That said, I agree completely with your response.

The line I had problems with was "Given his history, it's rather probable".