Bush hit by new blow as aide is charged with shoplifting

[AGENDA21]

PRESIDENT George Bush’s battered image suffered another damaging blow yesterday with reports that his former top domestic policy adviser had been arrested by Maryland police for allegedly swindling two large department stores in a bizarre shoplifting scam.

Claude Allen, a prominent conservative who had become the highest-ranking African-American on the White House staff, resigned his post last month after telling the president that he wanted to spend more time with his family.

Yesterday it emerged that Allen had been interviewed by police in early January after he allegedly left a Maryland shop with goods he had not paid for. He was arrested last week and charged with two counts of theft that carry maximum sentences of 15 years in jail.

Bush said he was “shocked” by the arrest. “If the allegations are true, something went wrong in Claude Allen’s life, and that is really sad,” he said.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2081791,00.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Allen was the guy at the WH who was in charge of Katrina

info during the storm.

Gee I wonder if he was out 'shopping' instead of monitoring the hurricane? That certainly would explain a LOT.

[theoldman]

7. Why does a rich man shoplift?

The guy has plenty of money. He must have a mental problem or he is just your average Republican and could not help himself.

[NYC]

14. $958,300 house and worked for Baker & Botts 1991 to 1995.

That's an expensive house. He bought it in October, I think. His salary was approximately $161,000.

Does he actually have plenty of money?

I just threw in the Baker & Botts information because it is interesting how many things lead back to James Baker.

[Marr]

18. Because he ENJOYS stealing.

That's why all these Republicans get into government; to steal. I mean seriously- their own credo is "government=bad", so why join, unless you intended to either sabotage the works or just plain rob the system?

[tabasco]

19. Never underestimate the power of greed.

Greed lies at the core of "republican values."

[jeff30997]

2. They're all thief!

[Hubert Flottz]

3. What issue did Bush "win" on in 2004 according to the TV news?

"MORALITY" The GOP is the "PARTY OF MORALITY"! BULLSHIT!

[TahitiNut]

10. 'values'

:puke:

[aden_nak]

4. Can't they stop stealing things for just a few minutes at a time?

At least Bush only steals out in the open every four years.

[fooj]

5. They are all a bunch of treasonous, rat bastards!

This comes as NO SURPRISE!!!

Peace.

[Atman]

WTF? "...something went wrong in Claude Allen’s life..."

But if a 13 year old poor black kid commits a crime, to the republicans he's just another example of what is wrong with those damned welfare cases! (IS THAT OKAY TO SAY? I'M NOT SURE ANYMORE!) Their hypocrisy knows no bounds!

[Mr_Spock]

11. Yep, always willing to make a lame excuse for a Repuke who f's up

You are 100% accurate - there are NO bounds to this administrations hypocrisy.

[madmom]

17. that's because with Allen it's a youthful indiscretion with the 13 year

old black kid he was old enough to know better!:sarcasm:

[benddem]

6. they are all fibbing again.

On NPR this AM they said the White House has known about this since January. How can bozo be shocked?

[MADem]

9. Actually, that IS true, HOWEVER......!!!!!

...the guy told Harriet Miers that the reason he was charged is because there was some dreadful "mixup" with his credit card, and that the WH had NOTHING to worry about. Consequently, they kept him on without doing any investigation on their own accord!

McClellan said Allen told Card and Miers that it was all a misunderstanding and cited confusion with his credit card because he had moved several times. "He assured them that he had done nothing wrong and the matter would be cleared up," McClellan said.

The president first learned of Allen's planned departure and the January incident in early February. But since Allen had passed the usual background checks and had no other prior issues that White House officials were aware of, "he was given the benefit of the doubt," McClellan said.

Mallon Snyder, a Gaithersburg lawyer representing Allen, said his client was not improperly trying to take the items. Snyder said asked Target to produce videotape they said they have of Allen but that store representatives refused. He said he wants to meet with Target investigators to clear things up.

"It's a misunderstanding on their part," Snyder said, adding that the investigation had nothing to do with Allen's departure from the White House. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-ex-bush-aide,1,7177140.story

[Jane Austin]

8. "Aide" sounds like Claude Allen was the guy who made sure the coffee was

fresh and the sandwiches were on time.

I hate these headlines calling Allen an aide. He was a top White House adviser, for crying out loud, and had been the number two guy at Health and Human Services.

At the very least they could call him "Presidential Advisor" in their headlines.

[DanCa]

12. Wow The GOP trully want to take everything and co opt it for their own.

[Disturbed]

13. Shoplifting?

He was swindling these stores out of thousands of dollars. That is a lot more then Shoplifting. The RW Media is soft peddeling once again.

[kestrel91316]

16. It's not shoplifting. It's FRAUD!!!!!!!!!

[Imagevision]

15. Bush's VP shoots a guy in the face - this schmuck does shoplifting

kinda sounds par for the course -- can you even imagine what we don't know??!!

[MrBenchley]

20. "something went wrong in Claude Allen’s life"

He began hanging out with the crooked pieces of shit that make up the Republican party.....

[MrBenchley]

21. Correntewire: "The Sergeant Schultz defense"

"Speculating freely—because it would be irresponsible not to speculate—what could have motivated Allen? Apparently, the thefts amounted to $5000. Yet Allen makes a six figure salary. So, it couldn’t have been the money as such. Rather, it looks like what Allen wanted was $5000 that couldn’t be traced. Here’s how the fraud is worked:
...It would be interesting to know—and the coverage so far doesn’t say—whether Allen kept the items he stole, or converted them into cash. If so, what cash transactions followed? Gambling (like Bennett?) Drugs (like Limbaugh?) The services of Jeff “Eight-Inch, Cut” Gannon (like whoever got Gannon his daily White House passes?) If so, the story we’re getting is the mild version, not the highly spiced one."

http://www.correntewire.com/bushs_first_reaction_on_allen_arrest_the_sergeant_schultz_defense

[soothsayer]

22. I was diagnosed with kleptomania and every once in awhile I

have to take something for it. (rimshot) Badoom boom!

[Sensitivity]

23. Went Crazy seeing his Admin buddies rip off billions in "war on terror"

Just imagine how much Cheney, Rummy, BFEE have lifted in the last 4 years.