Until recently, Claude Allen was the Assistant to the President of the United States for Domestic Policy. Allen is, or was, one of the darlings of the religious right led by the likes of James Dobson and his Focus on the Family. Allen was a big abstinence only crusader and led several assaults on AIDS service organizations as well. This paragon of moral values was recruited by Karl Rove. A couple of days ago, Claude Allen was arrested in connection with a massive shoplifter and refund operation:
[Link] Allen's alleged scheme involving about $5,000 of stolen goods had first been detected at a Target department store in his home town of Gaithersburg, Md. on Jan. 2, where the store reported observing Allen placing merchandise in a shopping bag and than taking it to customer service with a receipt for a refund.
Police say that Allen was given a citation that day but not arrested and that a subsequent investigation using store videotapes determined he had done this many times before - sometimes purchasing items, taking them outside and then returning with a receipt to receive a refund for a similar product taken off the shelf.
Bush twice nominated this freaky-sounding creep to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. Thank your lucky stars the Democrats filibustered Claude Allen. A filibuster which freepers and wingnut bloggers called "shameful" by the way. Good thing he was stopped, or this alleged moral cripple would now be involved in judging criminal cases. And Bush wants us to trust his judgment of character, eh? Duke "Sticky Fingers" Cunningham, Bob "never says" Ney, Jack Abramoff, Tom DeLay, oxycontin Rush, and assorted felons and crooks, etc, ad nauseum. And these guys were going to "restore honor to the White House." Good grief!