Monday, May 23, 2011

DNA Results In, Dominique Strauss-Kahn Is French Toast

The matter of The People of New York Against Dominique Strauss-Kahn has now passed through the "Je n'ai pas eu des relations sexuelles avec cette femme de chambre" stage and jumped ahead to the Blue Dress Moment.

The UK Telegraph reports that DNA testing has confirmed traces of sperm on the hotel maid's clothing:


The New York Police sent the test results to French authorities on Sunday where they allegedly confirmed the trace. The results are expected to be made public shortly.

Mr Strauss-Kahn, 62, who is accused of trying to rape a maid last week in his suite at the Sofitel hotel in New York, was released from Rikers Island jail on Friday.

His lawyer has already indicated he plans to argue that there was consent.

The latest revelations [were] published on the French website Atlantico.fr.


His lawyer plans to argue consent? Really? His options are rapidly narrowing.

On a happier note, the story also had this:


Meanwhile, a New York assemblyman has said he wants the state to require hotels to provide their housekeepers with an emergency "panic button" that would help protect them from sexual assaults on the job.

Rory Lancman, a Democrat from Queens, said he intended to introduce the bill on Monday.


Now that is a really good idea. Practical and effective, and more achievable than having housekeeping staff work in groups. I'd go further and equip hotel maids with stun guns (perfect name for them: "The High-Voltage French Connection"), but I suppose that would never fly in New York City.

Here's a bit more about the proposed bill:


A state lawmaker has introduced a bill that would require hotel maids to be equipped with personal security devices in the wake of the recent arrest of ex-International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn on allegations of sexual assault by a worker at the upscale midtown hotel Sofitel.

State Assemblyman Rory Lancman, who chairs the assembly's subcommittee on workplace safety, said hotel maids are often alone when they are cleaning rooms, leaving them vulnerable and "at the mercy of the guest."

"Although we often think about workplace safety in terms of construction workers falling off a building, or mine workers getting a mine collapsing on them, every workplace has its own workplace safety challenges," Lancman said.

Lancman said the personal security devices — much like the emergency buttons used by elderly people who live alone — are readily available, and can cost as little as $20 a month. If approved, his legislation would become part of New York State Labor Law.

The New York Hotel Workers' Union said it supports the bill. A spokesman added that violent incidents like the alleged attack are not frequent occurrences in city hotels. He also said the city has strong security regulations in place. The Hotel Association of New York City is currently reviewing the bill. A spokeswoman said the group shares the goal of keeping hotel workers safe.


I don't know why the Hotel Association isn't already on board with that bill. It would protect their employees and reduce their liability.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great coverage TSB! Maybe they could finance it with a special DSK tax that would be applied to any hotel customer identified by hotel staff as being a horses ass! gwb

Anonymous said...

How about a Second Amendment solution to rape?

TSB said...

Even stun guns would be too much for Mayor Bloomberg to tolerate. That's why I don't go to NYC (where my Glock isn't welcome, I'm not welcome).

But, if maids were armed in all the red states, then we could let the labor market decide where they want to work, and that just might come back to bite Bloomberg. I like it.

Anonymous said...

TSB: Do we have any State Dept. Bloggers in Yemen? I can't imagine people having their families there after all this stuff. It sounds like Yemeni's are running out of food and fuel. gwb

TSB said...

I don't know of any bloggers in Yeman, but you might want to look at this one, who was evacuated from Tripoli:

http://fawdamunathema.wordpress.com/2011/03/02/american-nomad/

The diplomatic staff in Yemen will likely lose their household belongings, just like the staff in Triploi did, when mobs loot their homes. BTW, that damage is not reimbursed by the government; that's on their personal home and auto insurance.

Anonymous said...

Thanks TSB! That was a great capsule of the Tripoli experience. I'm still reading Woodward's book (1987) when Casey-North were trading arms for hostages and trying to kill Khadaffi.
People here have no idea what State people have to go thru. gwb