Claude Allen

Who is Claude Allen?

Claude Alexander Allen is an American attorney who was the Assistant to the President of the United States for Domestic Policy in George W. Bush's White House and a withdrawn Bush judicial nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Allen grew up in Philadelphia and graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University School of Law. He began his legal career in 1990 as a clerk for a federal judge, then was an associate with Baker Botts from 1991 to 1995 and the office of the Attorney General of Virginia from 1995 to 1998. From 1998 to 2001 Allen served as Secretary of Health and Human Services for the state of Virginia, and Allen became Deputy Secretary of the United States Department of Health and Human Services under the George W. Bush administration.

The African-American Republican was appointed to his White House position in January 2005. Allen resigned February 9, 2006, stating he wanted to spend more time with his family. On March 10, 2006, news broke that Allen had been repeatedly stealing from retail stores Target and Hecht's by engaging in a personal refund scheme. Allen was cited by police for shoplifting on January 2, 2006, which triggered an investigation that resulted in Allen's arrest on felony counts of theft on March 9, 2006. On August 4, 2006, as part of a plea bargain, Allen pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of theft.