Eau d'IMF

The arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, director of the International Monetary Fund who is accused of trying to rape a housekeeper in a hotel in New York, may seem like a Hollywood story to audiences on this side of the Atlantic. The French, not to mention Romanians, do not easily understand that police officers would dare to arrest and handcuff the head of one of the most powerful institutions on the planet, like they would any other offender.

In the United States, however, law enforcement officials are perceived as being above politicians. Opinion polls show that the police force is the most trusted American institution after the military and small business, with an approval rating of nearly 60 percent, compared to Congress with barely 7 percent.

Beyond the numbers, what is more interesting is the public reaction on the banks of the Seine, as well as the Dambovița. The prestigious daily Le Figaro notes that the conspiracy theory, which has already bloomed on the internet and is spreading rapidly among the political class, had its origins in a Twitter post. The author is a youth by the name of Jonathan Pinet who works for the Union for a Popular Movement, the party led by the current French president, Nicolas Sarkozy. It is curious that the tweet that announced the arrest came only minutes after the incident.

The stakes of the plot? The increasing popularity of DSK, the nickname with which the French press indulges the socialist at the head of the IMF. Until yesterday, he was the favorite in next year’s presidential election, with a significant lead over Sarkozy. From these facts to the global conspiracy scenario was no more than a short leap.

Though Romania has not quite ended its love affair with the IMF, we are a very receptive people when it comes to backroom deals, kneecapping, and below-the-belt attacks. So the journalists who don’t stand speechless in the face of multifarious realities (like Boc’s re-election to the head of the PDL party) seize on conspiracy allegations with maximum expediency and minimum reserve.

I have no idea if the alleged perpetrator is guilty or not in the case of the woman he may have chased around naked through a Manhattan luxury apartment. I am inclined to say there is no smoke without fire, given his history, as he has been involved in other scandals of a sexual nature. It is difficult to believe that overseas authorities could be influenced by an electoral battle on the old continent.

Rather, I am convinced that behind the dossier is a desire on the part of the American police to do their jobs indifferent to the identity of the culprit. We should remember that in 2001, one of President George W. Bush’s daughters was cited for underage drinking, and the brother of former President Bill Clinton was arrested for drunk driving. In 2009, the daughter of former presidential candidate John Kerry was retained on the same charge. In 2002, Florida governor Jeb Bush’s daughter was charged with drug possession — one year later, the son of former Vice-President Al Gore was charged with drug possession as well.

These are only a few examples showing us that, to them, no one is above the law. Not even those perfumed with eau d’IMF!