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Evidence Suggests NY Post's DSK Tipster Was Lying
By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jul 12, 2011
Modified Jul 12, 2011
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By
Christopher Robbins
Published Jul 12, 2011
Modified Jul 12, 2011
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New evidence provided by the Hotel Worker's Union, Local 6 appears to show that the New York Post was given documentation that disproved the paper's statements that Dominique Strauss-Kahn's accuser was placed there by the union as a prostitute "earner," and may bolster her libel suit against the paper.
WaPo's Eric Wemple reports that while the Post printed a denial from a union spokesman that she was placed at the Sofitel at their behest, they failed to mention an employment packet that the union gave to the paper which seems to prove the union's assertions that, "She never registered in our hiring hall. We never sent her for a single interview. We absolutely did not place her at the hotel and we do not track tips."
The employment packet includes the accuser's employment application for the Sofitel and a management evaluation. Strauss-Kahn's accuser checked the box marked "Agency" when the form asked her how she learned about the hotel. Under "References," she gave the name of a placement officer with the International Rescue Committee, an agency which helps refugees find work. As Wemple points out: "Nowhere on the form did the applicant mention a union." Indeed, in a statement to union members on their website, Local 6's president Peter Ward states that they "have incontrovertible evidence that the Sofitel room attendant became a member of our Union only after she became employed at the hotel."
Efforts made by Wemple to question the Post about these revelations have "ended in frustration," and their spokesperson has yet to issue a response. We also contacted the Post and we've yet to hear back. State Senator Bill Perkins, who attended a gathering on Sunday in support of Strauss-Kahn's accuser, told us that if the Post knowingly published false information, "It's outrageous, it's slimy, and it's an example of how the media can be an accomplice to injustice." Upon learning that the Post was a Murdoch publication, Perkins said, "What a coincidence. It almost begins to raise the question of conspiracy. Why would they lie? For whom are they doing this? How many other lies have we heard?"
While the damage to Strauss-Kahn's accuser has in many ways already been done, Senator Perkins still believe that if anything, these revelations "reinforce our commitment to make sure the DA's office pursues this case vigorously. The truth has to come out."
Libel is notoriously difficult to prove. The plaintiff must demonstrate that the publisher of the libelous statements knew they were false before publishing them. If the Post reviewed the documents before publishing the story, we may witness a successful libel suit, and a complete reversal in the faltering sexual assault charges against Strauss-Kahn.
Tagged
crime
dominique strauss-kahn
dsk
hotel workers union local 6
journalism
libel
new york post
rape
sexual assault
strauss-kahn
unions
Christopher Robbins
Christopher Robbins is a New York City reporter covering transportation, affordable housing, local politics, and criminal justice. His work has also appeared in New York Magazine, The Village Voice and The New York Times. Chris is a graduate of Patrick Henry High School in Roanoke, Virginia, and enjoys biking to Fort Tilden in the summertime.
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