New York ( CNN ) -- Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. will not recuse himself from prosecuting the case against former International Monetary Fund chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn for the attempted rape of a hotel housekeeper , his spokeswoman said Wednesday . `` Any suggestion that this office should be recused is wholly without merit , '' Erin Duggan said in a statement . The announcement came in response to the call earlier in the day from an attorney for the housekeeper . `` We make this request in order to protect the integrity of the prosecution of Mr. Stauss-Kahn , to ensure the victim 's rights are not further prejudiced by deliberate acts seeking to undermine her credibility , to insulate your office from the appearance of conflict of interest , and to ensure that future victims of sex crimes , regardless of their backgrounds , are not dissuaded from coming forward , '' wrote Kenneth P. Thompson in a four-page letter to Vance . Strauss-Kahn , 62. is accused of having attempted to rape the maid when she entered his suite at the Sofitel off Times Square on May 14 in order to clean it . Thompson said Vance 's office `` apparently has been responsible '' for leaks to the news media `` that were intended to discredit the victim 's character and , perhaps most importantly , undermine her charges against Mr . Strauss-Kahn . '' He cited a telephone call he received June 30 from Chief Assistant District Attorney Daniel R. Alonso , informing him of the prosecutor 's decision to turn over to the defense `` certain false statements '' that the victim had told investigators . During the call , he said Alonso had told him about an audio recording obtained by the prosecution in which the alleged victim told an incarcerated person a day after the alleged attack `` about the possible benefits '' of pursuing charges against Strauss-Kahn . `` When I asked Mr. Alonso specifically about what the victim had allegedly said during that conversation , he stated that the victim said 'words to the effect ' that 'this guy has a lot of money . I know what I 'm doing . ' '' Thompson said that Alonso then agreed to turn over a copy of the recording or allow him and the housekeeper to listen to it but , more than six days later , had failed to do so . `` I am told by Mr. Alonso that the victim must now wait for the prosecutor 's interpreter to prepare a complete transcript of it , '' Thompson wrote . He went on to complain that , within a few hours of that call , the New York Times reported on the `` alleged conversation with the incarcerated individual , '' in an article that cited `` 'two well-placed law enforcement officials . ' '' Thompson said he believes those officials work for Vance . The lawyer said he was troubled by the fact that , the following day , the newspaper ran another article about the alleged victim that described the reported conversation between the woman and the incarcerated individual . Thompson said the article used language similar to that which Alonso had used during their conversation . `` Such apparent leaks by members of your office is , without question , an abrogation of the duties and responsibilities of a prosecutor and will , unfortunately , have a chilling effect on other victims of sex crimes coming forward in the future for fear of reprisals from the office that is charged with protecting victims -- not discrediting them through orchestrated media campaigns , '' he wrote . Thompson added that he was `` truly saddened '' to read the response of a `` senior prosecutor '' who was asked about a New York Post article that asked whether the victim was `` turning tricks while at ( a ) hotel '' after the alleged sexual assault and under the protection of the Manhattan District Attorney 's Office . `` I ca n't say with 100 % certainty that it 's not true , '' the `` senior prosecutor '' was quoted as saying . `` The fact that apparently a prosecutor in your office suggested that it might be true that the victim is a prostitute and had engaged in acts of prostitution while under the protection of your office is appalling , '' Thompson wrote . He then pointed to what he said represents a potential conflict of interest that the prosecutor 's office has in the case -- `` the chief of your entire trial division is married to one of Mr. Strauss-Kahn 's lawyers in this case . '' And he blamed the prosecution for failing to have alerted him before he learned of it from the news media . `` As far as we know , this prosecutor is still assigned to the case and gives us great concern about whether your office can truly determine what is in the interest of justice . '' Vance 's spokeswoman 's response did not address each of the concerns raised by Thompson . It said , `` We strongly disagree with how the office and the work of the assistant district attorneys have been characterized . '' Also Wednesday , attorneys for Strauss-Kahn said that the defense team had a `` constructive meeting '' with prosecutors , who maintained that they are not ready to drop sexual abuse and attempted rape charges even after questions were raised about the accuser 's credibility . `` The investigative process is continuing , and no decisions have been made , '' said Manhattan District Attorney spokeswoman Erin Duggan . The two-hour meeting came just days after prosecutors disclosed credibility issues regarding the hotel maid who accused Strauss-Kahn of sexually attacking her . `` We had a constructive meeting today with ( Vance ) and his colleagues , '' said a statement from . William W. Taylor III and Benjamin Brafman . Strauss-Kahn pleaded not guilty in June to charges that prompted him to resign from his post as managing director of the International Monetary Fund . Questions about the case surfaced last week when Vance indicated that the woman , 32 , had been less than truthful with authorities about some aspects of her life and her whereabouts immediately after the alleged attack at the Sofitel hotel May 14 . Legal analysts suggest that prosecutors are looking for ways to salvage the case . `` Prosecutors correctly regard dismissal as complete humiliation and capitulation , '' said CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin . `` If they can get a guilty plea , even to a misdemeanor , that would be a slightly face-saving route out of this case . `` But it seems clear that the defense now very much has the upper hand , '' he added . The developments in New York come as Strauss-Kahn faces separate accusations of attempted rape in France , which were filed in a complaint by French writer Tristane Banon . A Strauss-Kahn lawyer in France said he has filed a counter-claim against Banon for `` false declarations . '' French prosecutors have received Banon 's complaint , a spokeswoman for the office said , and it is currently `` under consideration '' to determine whether there is enough evidence to press charges . Banon 's mother , Socialist politician Anne Mansouret , said shortly after the housekeeper 's accusations were splashed across front pages around the world that her daughter had been attacked by Strauss-Kahn in 2003 but that she had discouraged her at the time from filing charges against him . The statute of limitations in France for attempted rape is 10 years . Mansouret , a member of parliament , said she cautioned Banon not to file a police report at the time for fear it would hurt her journalism career . CNN 's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report .
NEW : Recusal suggestions ` ` wholly without merit , '' DA spokeswoman said . Attorneys for Strauss - Kahn said they had a ` ` constructive dialogue '' with prosecutors . French prosecutors are reviewing a complaint in a separate case against Strauss - Kahn . Source : The plaintiff 's attorney refused to let his client talk with prosecutors for weeks .