NY Post Reveals They Were Told Of Alleged DSK Victim’s Credibility Issues ‘Days After’ His Arrest

Alex AlvarezJul 1st, 2011, 10:04 am
 

In light of new information casting doubt on the credibility of the hotel maid accusing former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn of rape, the New York Post, which has been on the story since it first broke, now seems to be backpedaling in their assessment of Strauss-Kahn’s culpability. The paper has now revealed that sources doubtful of the woman’s credibility first approached them with their concerns mere days after Strauss-Kahn’s May arrest:

Questions about her credibility were first revealed by The Post days after Strauss-Kahn’s arrest, including the fact that she lived in subsidized housing for AIDS patients, although she swore to investigators she was not infected.

One source working in law enforcement called the woman, who has alleged ties to drug dealers and money launderers, a “con artist,” adding that, if placed on the stand, she would prove a “flawed witness.”

Perhaps the paper didn’t find these sources believable at the time the first came forth, because it had previously run with headlines adding to the pervasive media image of Strauss-Kahn as a depraved, dirty, shady, totally probably guilty specimen of humanity:

  • “Horny toad remains eager to sleaze” (courtesy of columnist Andrea Peyser)
  • A selection of reader responses running under the title “What do you expect from sleazy socialists?“
  • “Fund for nation-rape” (“Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, is in the news. He is entitled to the presumption of innocence — but the rape charges against him symbolize the IMF: an institution of privilege that routinely acts to the disadvantage of the vulnerable.”)
  • “Ex-IMF boss used to have a hooker habit, former madam says”

    • Did The Post ever come right out and call DSK guilty? Of course not. Do links to criminals necessarily mean DSK’s accuser is lying? Not necessary, no. Could the disparity in power between DSK and the hotel maid point to impropriety and abuse of power, even with consent? Sure. Regardless, the paper – and many other networks and publications – have certainly painted a distinct impression of DSK for the public to consume: that of a whining, self-absorbed, sex-hungry sleazeball approaching a serious allegation flippantly. While that ultimately has no bearing on the case itself, it does damage to DSK’s image and reputation (Whether that damage is well-deserved or deeply unfair, we’ll leave for you to decide) and it brings up the question of why the paper chose to hold off on revealing this additional information on his accuser’s background.

    h/t New York Post via Animal NY’s Bucky Turco

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