The un-ethics of George Allen

By Michael J.W. Stickings

You all know about the racism (if not, see here and here), but George Allen's ethics problem -- that is, the extent to which he is ethically challenged is going public -- is getting broader and deeper the closer we get to next month's elections.

The AP is now reporting that "[f]or the past five years, [Allen] has failed to tell Congress about stock options he got for his work as a director of a high-tech company". That's bad.

In addition, Allen "asked the Army to help another business that gave him similar options." That's also bad.

And it gets better (for us; worse for Allen): "When AP showed Allen's lawyer the Senate ethics manual requirement that such options must be reported each year regardless of value, the lawyer said he was unfamiliar with that provision. Allen has now asked the Senate ethics committee for an opinion on whether he should have disclosed them." Allen's lawyer claims that he is unfamiliar with the provision to report stock options, as if it some sort of legal technicality, and Allen himself is essentially pleading ignorance. We already knew Allen was racist thug, not to mention a buffoon and a jackass, but now it appears he's also a crook and a liar. And he says he didn't know better? Sure.

I agree with MyDD's Jonathan Singer that the AP article is "fairly damning," and I also suggest that you read the article in full, given the complexity of Allen's business dealings.

I also agree with Taylor Marsh: "He just doesn't understand the difference between right and wrong."

That inability seems to have characterized much of Allen's life, public and private alike. It's gotten him in trouble time and time again. Think about what we know, all that we're coming to know as the campaign goes on. But what about everything we don't know, everything that Allen has managed to keep quiet? It's like when Sammy Sosa was caught with the corked bat. Was that the only time he ever used a corked bat? Highly unlikely. Allen's closet must be crowded indeed.

The real George Allen is being revealed. Will the voters of Virginia finally say they've had enough of him?