All’s well that ends well.  N’est-ce pas, Dominique?

On the 23rd of August 2011 in New York City the criminal case brought by the Guinean immigrant chambermaid against the French ex-IMF head and former presidential favorite fizzled to an end– not with a jury trial, but a sneer.  The prosecutors ‘couldn’t credit her version of the events beyond reasonable doubt.’  What’s more, ‘This was not a forcible encounter,’ triumphed Strauss-Kahn attorney Brafman from the courthouse steps.  ‘You can engage in inappropriate behavior perhaps, but that is much different than a crime and this case was treated as a crime when it was not.’  In other words, his client had a bit on the side, with the maid a willing participant.

DSK won again, just this month, back here in Paris. Tristane Banon, the young writer who brought her dusted-off attempted rape case against DSK in the wake of Ms. Diallo’s allegations, lost out legally as well.  She beamed to the press, however, as a victim morally vindicated by the judge, who termed DSK’s confessed actions ‘sexual  aggression’– a crime, but outside the statute of limitations of three years.  Wagging heads agree that the stronger charge of attempted rape (prosecutable for ten years) is practically impossible to prove, without witnesses.  (Ie, never.)  Banon has foresworn the option of a civil suit, pledging to work instead to lengthen the statute of limitations.  Yesterday Banon published a short blowbyblow ‘fiction’, called ‘The Hypocrites’ Ball.’

Imagine: if Nafissatou Diallo could write a book…

I saw a clip of her on YouTube.  She came across as coached and whiny.  Not pretty enough or smart or sympa.

No wonder the prosecution dropped the case.  The media will judge.

Personal lives in disarray is one sad thing.  The mess DSK’s downfall has caused France and thereby all Europe is another.  The newly voted Socialist Party (SP) candidate, wily bureaucrat Francois Hollande, is now the heavy favorite to win the 2012 election. DSK’s experience and clout would have permitted pragmatic policies.  But Hollande owes the public sector unions big time and promises to hire tens of thousands more (so-called) public servants, increasing the untenable debt, to be paid for by more taxes on the already suffocating private sector.  The average tax burden on a family with two kids is already over 44%, according to the OECD.  Adieu French economy.  Goodbye European Union.

But– to get back on message!  Anacharsis, a 6th century b.c. backpacker from Sicily, told the Athenians that ‘Written laws are like spider’s webs; they will catch, it is true, the weak and poor, but would be torn in pieces by the rich and powerful.’

Which is a good stopping point.  And yet, ‘torn in pieces’ reminds me…

The NY prosecutors stated that there was no conclusive evidence of aggression or rape.  (Semen spat on the rug was ambiguous. Okay.)   But wait.  Wait.  The record, their record, describes Ms. Diallo’s outfit worn the day of the incident on the Sofitel.  Under her maid’s uniform she was wearing two pairs of panty hose.  Two pairs of panty hose.  In May.  With holes in them.  Either the holes were already there, or they were made by someone grappling with her clothes.  One way or the other… Ladies, if you had any notion of seduction in your head, would you turn up for duty wearing two pairs of old panty hose?

Diallo’s lawyers are pressing her civil case for damages.  DSK will likely dip into his wife’s fortune, settle and keep it out of court.  All that’s missing here is justice.