My issue with Strauss-Kahn is that he simply isn't smooth with his shit. He comes across as a straight-up perv and lech, with his hands all over chicks the moment he's in the room alone with them. Do what you're gonna do - face it, French politicians have some leeway with this kind of thing, because they're society doesn't frown on men having mistresses. The conspiracy theories are to be expected, but he's left a trail of this kind of thing in his wake. It only takes one to step forward, and the rest will follow. The DA actually believed he had a strong case, but because the maid wouldn't have made a convincing witness (the press finding some dirt on her), he dropped the case. She sued in civil court where she lived (Bronx) instead of where the incident happened (Manhattan) because the juries are more pro-plaintiff. Bottom line, Strauss-Kahn paid because he simply didn't want the gory details of whatever happened coming out in court. He got lucky in getting the criminal matter dropped, but the standard of evidence in civil matters is lesser than criminal.
"The best kind of pride is that which compels a man to do his best when no one is watching."