New York authorities have thrown a wrench clear across the Atlantic and into the upcoming presidential election in France with the arrest of potential candidate and International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
The IMF leader, 62, was arrested on Saturday at John F. Kennedy International Airport, moments before his plane was to depart for Paris.
Strauss-Kahn is facing charges in the alleged violent sexual assault of a hotel maid, police said. He remains in custody.
The arraignment for Strauss-Kahn was delayed late Sunday, for an examination to obtain evidence for the case.
The arraignment was postponed to Monday.
Police said the maid picked Strauss-Kahn out of a lineup.
His lawyer, Benjamin Brafman, said on Sunday that Strauss-Kahn "denies all the charges against him" and will plead not guilty, setting the stage for what looks to be a sensational, celebrity-style trial.
Brafman has a history of successfully defending high-profile clients including Michael Jackson and Sean "P. Diddy" Combs.
He is "one of the best lawyers in America," said CTV legal analyst Steven Skurka. "This will be one of the biggest, if not the biggest, trials of the year."
Skurka predicted Brafman will push for an early trial because of its potential impact on both the French elections and the IMF.
Strauss-Kahn is considered a front-runner to challenge incumbent French president Nicolas Sarkozy in next year's elections. Though Strauss-Kahn has not formally announced his candidacy, his future in both politics and at the IMF is now in doubt.
"Even if he's totally cleared of these charges they are going to leave a stain and he's going to be out of commission for a while," said CNN's Jim Bitterman, speaking to CTV.
The IMF named an acting leader and said it is still "fully functioning and operational" despite the arrest of Strauss-Kahn.
It is Strauss-Kahn's second sex scandal as head of the IMF. The man, known to French media as "the great seducer," was investigated over whether he had an improper relationship with a female employee in 2008. The IMF board found his actions "regrettable" and said they "reflected a serious error of judgment" -- a misstep the married father of four vowed not to repeat.
Strauss-Kahn was scheduled to attend G8 meetings two weeks from now in his native country.
Police allege Strauss-Kahn attacked the maid who was cleaning his suite at the luxury Sofitel hotel at about 1 p.m. on Saturday. Strauss-Kahn is said to have emerged from the bathroom naked, chased the 32 year-old woman down a hallway and pulled her into a bedroom, where he is alleged to have sexually assaulted her.
The maid said she fought off her attacker, but she was dragged into the bathroom, where he forced her to perform oral sex. The woman was able to break free again and escaped before informing hotel staff what had happened, authorities said. They called police.
When detectives arrived moments later, Strauss-Kahn had already left the hotel, leaving behind his cellphone. The maid was taken by police to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Skurka speculated that the cellphone could be used in the case against Strauss-Kahn.
Leaving it behind, "could be evidence of consciousness of guilt -- evidence of flight," he said.
"It will be interesting to see how the defence deals with that; why is he running if he's got nothing to run from?"
Strauss-Kahn is charged with a criminal sex act, attempted rape and unlawful imprisonment.
France woke to the bombshell news Sunday to surprise and a degree of caution. Online commentators questioned whether the incident could be part of a smear campaign by the unpopular President Sarkozy.
"It's a cross that will be difficult for him to bear," said Dominique Paille, a political rival to Strauss-Kahn on the centre left, on BFM television.
"I hope that everyone respects the presumption of innocence," Paille added.
The New York accusations come amid French media reports about Strauss-Kahn's lifestyle, including luxury cars and suits, that some have also dubbed a smear campaign.
Strauss-Kahn was nominated for the top IMF job by Sarkozy after a failed bid to land the Socialist party nomination in 2007.
Caroline Atkinson, an IMF spokeswoman, issued a statement Sunday that said the agency would have no comment on the New York case. She referred all inquiries to Strauss-Kahn's personal lawyer and said the "IMF remains fully functioning and operational."
Strauss-Kahn's offices in Paris couldn't be reached when the news broke overnight in France. One of his allies, Jean-Marie Le Guen, expressed doubt about the incident.
"The facts as they've been reported today have nothing to do with the Dominique Strauss-Kahn that we know," Le Guen said on BFM television. "Dominique Strauss-Kahn has never exhibited violence toward people close to him, to anyone."
With files from Associated Press
