Conservatives Stunned by Claude Allen's Arrest on Theft Charges
by Bill Fancher and Jenni Parker
March 16, 2006
(AgapePress) - - Pro-family leaders are urging conservatives to exercise caution in responding to reports that a former White House domestic policy advisor is now facing felony theft charges. Claude Allen, a man admired among many as one of America's leaders and a top aide to President Bush, has been arrested and charged with theft involving illegal refunds at a couple of department stores. These revelations have disappointed several conservatives, including pro-family activist Gary Bauer of the Campaign for Working Families.
Allen came to national prominence during the 1990s as Virginia's Secretary of Health and Human Resources. Then, in April 2003, President George W. Bush nominated him to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond. Allen was nominated to the court again a year later but never received a Senate vote. And in early 2005, he was hired by the president to be his Domestic Policy Adviser.
Bauer, a former White House Domestic Policy Adviser himself under President Ronald Reagan, has called Allen a "strong conservative and a real defender of pro-life and pro-family values." When the former Bush administration official's resignation was announced in early February, the Campaign for Working Families spokesman remarked that he "certainly will be missed."
Other pro-family leaders who applauded the appointment of the former Bush administration official expressed sadness at his sudden departure from the West Wing as well. At that time Peter Brandt, senior director of government and public policy for Focus on the Family Action, described Allen as "a stalwart for marriage, for family, for abstinence education and for the sanctity of life," who has been "unwavering in his dedication to the things that our constituents value."
Allen's conviction would be a damaging blow to conservatives and to the pro-family movement, Gary Bauer acknowledges. However, he feels the public should not be hasty in drawing conclusions. 'I think we all have to be cautious here until the full facts are established in a court of law," he says.
"It certainly looks troubling at this point, but I think it would be inappropriate to rush to judgment until he's had his day in court," the pro-family advocate adds. "My prayer is that there's facts here that we have not heard about, and that this will not be as bad as it certainly seems right now.'
'Deeply Disappointing' Allegations Emerge in Allen's Case
According to Associated Press reports, Allen admitted to a Target Corporation investigator that he had fraudulently returned merchandise he did not buy at one of Target's stores in the Washington, DC-area suburb of Gaithersburg, Maryland. Police say the former Bush administration aide has been charged with theft and theft scheme and is believed to have made fraudulent returns worth at least $5,000 at Target and Hecht's stores on 25 separate occasions.
A police spokesman says Allen has been under investigation at least since January for the alleged thefts. On January 2, he was stopped as he was leaving the Gaithersburg store after having obtained a refund for store merchandise using a receipt from an earlier purchase. Allen informed White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card about the incident on the evening of the January incident but told him it was a misunderstanding.
President Bush was advised of the matter and of Allen's planned departure from the White House staff in February. At the time of his abrupt resignation, the former policy advisor offered by way of explanation that he simply wanted to spend more time with his family. Allen's attorney has denied the charges against his client, claiming they are a result of problems with his credit cards.
In a February 9 press statement, the president described Claude Allen as "a trusted advisor since 2001" and a "good and compassionate man." But AP reports that Bush's comment last Saturday was that it would be "deeply disappointing" if Allen did not tell the White House the truth about what had transpired.
Police initially charged the former government official with a misdemeanor in the January 2 incident but dropped the charges when he appeared in District Court on March 9. Later that same day, the authorities arrested him again and charged him with the more serious crimes of "theft over $500" and "felony theft scheme," each carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years.
Allen is scheduled to go on trial April 27. His attorney, Mallon Snyder, has stated that he intends to prove the felony allegations against the ex-White House advisor are nothing more than "a series of misunderstandings."
