Socialist, My Arse
Dominique Strauss-Khan, who features prominently in this report from The Guardian, was in a former life head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), having acquired this plum role as a leading and highly regarded French socialist.
In fact, if things had turned out differently, he could even have become President of France as he was the favourite to stand as the socialist candidate (ahead of the present incumbent Francois Hollande) until his 'trouser problem' hit the headlines a few years ago.
Financier’s suicide derails Strauss-Kahn revival
Dominique Strauss-Kahn has attempted to rehabilitate himself after a series of sex scandals Kenzo Tribouillard/Getty Images
By Adam Sage - The Guardian
Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, faces fresh controversy amid court proceedings against the business he founded with a financier who committed suicide last week.
In a blow to Mr Strauss-Kahn’s attempt to rehabilitate himself after a series of sex scandals, Luxembourg’s financial regulator has been asked to declare insolvent the asset management fund the two men set up.
It comes five days after Mr Strauss-Kahn’s business partner took his own life by jumping from the 23rd floor of a tower block in Tel-Aviv. French media said that Thierry Leyne, 48, had run up extensive debts with eastern European creditors, but had hidden his plight from Mr Strauss-Kahn.
The two men set up an investment fund, Leyne Strauss-Kahn and Partners (LSK), last year as Mr Strauss-Kahn sought a new career in finance. That career was flagging yesterday as LSK said that Mr Strauss-Kahn had renounced the post of chief executive to “concentrate on other activities”.
The announcement came as Luxembourg’s financial sector surveillance commission gave Assya Asset Management, which is owned by LSK, a stay of payment after hearing that it was unable to meet a debt of €3 million (£2.4 million) to an insurance company.
Mr Strauss-Kahn, right, was forced to step down from his post at the IMF after a hotel chambermaid accused him of sexual assault. Criminal charges were dropped and Mr Strauss-Kahn, who denied wrongdoing, settled a civil claim out of court.
The Socialist politician, who was favourite to win the 2012 French presidential election before the sex assault claims emerged, faces trial in France next year on a charge of aggravated pimping in connection with accusations that he organised a call-girl network to satisfy his sexual demands. He denies the charge.
Mr Strauss-Kahn was seeking last night to distance himself from LSK, with a source close to the former IMF head saying that he no longer had any role in the fund.
When the business was founded last year, Mr Leyne described Mr Strauss-Kahn as the “conductor of the orchestra” in their attempt to to raise €2 billion. Vanessa Strauss-Kahn, his daughter, would be an adviser, Mr Leyne said. The fund is reported to manage assets worth a total of at least €1 billion.
The news weekly L’Express hailed the launch of LSK, in which Mr Strauss-Kahn has a 20.23 per cent holding, as evidence that the disgraced politician was “succeeding in his new life”. The tone was very different yesterday as the financial newspaper Les Echos suggested that it had been a mistake to do business with Mr Leyne. It said that the Franco-Israeli financier could be charming, but was thought to have suffered from depression.
Le Parisien said that Mr Leyne had been trapped in a “terrifying spiral” after raising funds in Russia that he was unable to repay.
A Trouser Problem (5 July 2011)
The aim is to try and portray their man as the victim of a bizarre - anti-socialist or anti-French - international consipracy.
But the only victim in this affair is a young, lowly paid chambermaid - who was just doing her job at the time - or trying to at least.
Had she been left to get on with it - precisely nothing would have happened - either to her or DSK.
The only reason the whole affair is now splashed across the world's press and media - is that DSK has what is commonly referred to in polite circles - as a 'trouser problem'.
Now if I were DSK, here's the kind of letter I would be writing - to my fellow French socialists.
But if I were a French socialist, I'd be telling Dominique Strauss-Khan - to sling his hook - along with ambitions to become the next President of France.
"Dear Friends
I want to reassure all of my friends and fellow socialists that the young chambermaid I 'met' at the Sofitel Hotel in New York recently - was really 'gagging for it', if you know what I mean.
I know that sounds a bit macho and unprofessional.
But really, what is a red blooded 64-year old Frenchman to do when an attractive young woman makes it clear that - in the middle of tidying and cleaning your room - she's absolutely up for a quick blow job and having unprotected sex?
Now I know I was on official IMF business - an ambassador for the organisation and some of the most powerful governments in the world - during unprecedented economic times.
So why oh why, I hear you ask, didn't I stay at the home of my loyal and lovely wife, Anne Sinclair, who lives just up the road in our opulent, multi-million dollar Manhattan apartment.
I don't know is the answer, but I was most definitely not out on the hunt or on the prowl - seeking promiscuous sex hither and yon - as my female acquaitances (at the IMF and elsewhere) will happily verify.
I do have to admit that had this vile woman put her hands on my wallet, I would have called the NYPD immediately - after alerting the hotel authorities and complaining about the kind of staff they employ.
But the chambermaid kept her hands off my wallet thank goodness - so my money and credit cards were safe at least.
Unlike my 'wiener', as they say here in America, which had a will and mind of its own - as if possessed by some kind of 'rutting chimpanzee'.
So my defence is that despite being an extremely confident, wealthy and powerful individual - I was simply unable to resist the charms of a 32-year old chambermaid - whose irresponsible behaviour has landed me in this mess.
And while I take full responsibility for my own actions - I want to reassure you all that I am not in anyway to blame - because unlikelyas it seems I was seduced and overpowered by a young woman half my size and half my age.
I am, if you will, an innocent victim of circumstances and an insatiable libido - incredible for a man of my age, I know - but this is a fact to which my lovely wife will testify, I hope.
Please accept that this unfortunate incident is essentially a private matter between me and the young chambermaid - not something that should be the subject of jokes, ridicule, wider public debate or further unnecessary court proceedings.
Vive la France!
Dominique Strauss-Khan"
