Monday, March 13, 2006

Shopping for an Alibi


Did you hear the one about Claude Allen? George W. Bush's 'domestic policy advisor', caught shoplifting at Target?

Montgomery County, Maryland police press release and mug shot

This afternoon as I drove home (a few days late, car trouble) I heard a piece on NPR's All Things Considered on the Allen story. They interviewed a reporter for the Washington Post, Michael Fletcher, who floated the latest excuse for Allen. He has an identical twin. The twin has always been in trouble. I doubt if it was just the twin with the light fingers, that Claude Allen would have known to call the White House the night he was arrested.

I googled Claude Allen and twin and got no hits. So I don't think this excuse has gotten any traction yet. I wonder where the twin lives? Allen's bios all say he is a Virginia native, so his brother could live nearby. The Target where Allen was caught is 8 miles from his home in Gaithersburg.

Bro couldn't have lived that close by, unless he also could afford a $958,300 home (that's what Allen & his wife paid for their home in Gaithersburg, Maryland in October). In the old days before housing prices became so insane, conventional wisdom was that you could buy a house worth three times your annual salary. For Allen's $161,000 federal salary, that would be $483,000. I wonder if his wife works? How would that be possible, as the Washington Times reports that Allen and his wife home-school their children?

He looks a little overextended financially to me. And if they caught him 25 times, you know that's probably the tip of the iceberg. I mean, I've gotten one speeding ticket. Doesn't mean that's the only time...well, never mind.

Here's the link to the NPR story, although as of this posting there is no audio available: Former Bush Advisor's Arrest Makes Headlines

2 comments:

Wulf said...

That has got to be the worst argument I have ever heard.

I heard the story, too, and I blogged about it, too. I expect it will suddenly appear everywhere if Fletcher prints it. I doubt it's true, but I hope it is, because it's a great story. I guess I just hope it gets some legs.

But please, I have been in that same Target, and my house isn't even worth $150,000. I live hours away, but I am in the area a lot - you know, like a man would be if his brother lived there.

Your reasoning is pretty strained, that's all I am saying.

truth said...

Do identical twins have identical fingerprints? Allen was fingerprinted by the cops.

How do you like that argument?