What had happened Brother?

There is a trend that bothers me immensely....seemingly intelligent,highly educated, well versed (and well paid) African-Americans involved in petty criminal if not morally questionable situations. I would never make excuses for someone who commits a crime regardless of his/her social station in life, however I would ask that the crime and the risk be big enough for consideration. Tom Delay and Jack Abramoff are under indictment for allegedly pilfering millions. Case in point, Claude Allen, the gentlemen pictured above. Let's run Claude's credentials shall we:

1) Allen was the Assistant to President Bush for Domestic Policy and a former nominee for a judgeship on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.

2) Mr. Allen has degrees from the The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his J.D. from the Duke University School of Law.

3) His administrative salary was approximately $160,000 per year.

Here is the kicker..Allen resigned from his position on February 9, 2006. He was detained by Target store security guards on January 2, 2006 and later arrested by local authorities on March 9, 2006 on charges of "theft over $500" and "felony theft scheme." Simply put, this fool (allegedly) stole from a number of stores and then attempted to return items for cash. The amount in question is approx. $5000! If you remember conservative talk show host, Armstrong Williams jeopardized his career for promoting Bush's No Child Left Behind Policy as if under his own volition. He failed to inform his audience that he was paid for promoting this policy by the Bush administration. His fee....$250,000....not bad....but again not Delay money. I'm not anti-conservative....but I am anti cheap...If you are going to risk your livelihood let it not be for a McDonald's Happy Meal and a T-Shirt....just a thought brothers.