The fix is in

First there was the allegation of forced rape from a hotel maid. Now Dominique Strauss-Kahn is a free man. Wonder how much that cost... From the LA Times:

France abuzz with talk of comeback for Dominique Strauss-Kahn
In the space of just six weeks, Dominique Strauss-Kahn has gone through several metamorphoses in the eyes of his compatriots in France.

As head of the International Monetary Fund, he had been considered a "Washington exile" in French political circles.

Charged with sexually assaulting a New York hotel housekeeper, he became the "Sofitel Accused" and then the "Rikers Island Prisoner."

Today, he has been reincarnated as the "Phoenix of New York."

Before his arrest in May, Strauss-Kahn was widely predicted by polls as able to beat President Nicolas Sarkozy in next year's election.

Stunned supporters of Strauss-Kahn, who had written off his political career, now are planning his comeback after news that the sexual assault case against him may be falling apart.

From the UK Telegraph:

Dominique Strauss-Kahn walks free after maid rape case crumbles
Seven weeks after a haggard, rumpled and scowling shadow of Dominique Strauss-Kahn was first hauled in front of a New York judge, his old self swaggered into room 1324 at the state supreme court on Friday with a wry smile.

More:

A filing to the court confirmed extraordinary overnight leaks to the media, stating that the Guinean single mother had admitted to lying on her application for asylum in the US in 2004, lied about previously being raped and lied on her income tax returns.

It was also reported that the maid was recorded speaking on the telephone about the "potential benefits" of pressing charges against Mr Strauss-Kahn with a man who was being held for possession of 400lb of marijuana, and that she had $100,000 (�62,000) of mysterious cash deposits put in her bank account.

Like I said, I wonder how much it cost to set all of those people up to take the fall. This has a very suspicious taint to it...