Allen's history as a gay-baiter goes back to his days as a top aide to the notorious homophobe Senator Jesse Helms. In 1984, Allen accused Helms' Democratic challenger, then-Governor James Hunt, of having links to "queers," "radical feminists," socialists and unions [ Doug Ireland, writing for LA Weekly ]

Allen was also known for his outspoken support for "Abstinence Education", and his role in getting information on the effectiveness of condoms at preventing HIV transmission pulled from the US CDC's website.

Doug Ireland Notes, for LA Weekly :

"Allen helped bludgeon the Centers for Disease Control, which reports to HHS, into purging safe-sex materials from its Web sites and into adopting mandatory new rules requiring AIDS-fighting groups to teach that condoms don't work in preventing the spread of AIDS.......

When a federal judge found that a federally funded Louisiana abstinence program 'illegally handed out Bibles, staged anti-abortion prayer rallies outside women's clinics and had students perform Bible-based skits,' Allen refused to have the program audited, while continuing his repeated audit persecutions of effective AIDS-fighting groups teaching condom use,"

.......Notorious for his anti-abortion stance, at HHS Allen helped use its regulatory powers to turn Title 10 of the Public Services Act -- which Bush père had championed -- away from family planning and the promotion of condom use and into an abstinence-only program. In his Virginia years, Allen's Christian-right extremism led him to endanger the health of children. Then Allen  worked to defeat legislation that provided health insurance for children of the working poor, largely because the program covered abortion services for rape and incest victims under the age of 18.

As Ireland stated on "Democracy Now" :

Claude Allen has been the AIDS community's -- one of its number one enemies for some years, because he is an opponent of condom use. He is a proponent for years of the theory that condoms do not work to prevent AIDS. And he has worked very hard to replace science-based sex education with the failed policy of abstinence-only sex education as the only way to prevent AIDS.

As reported by Bill BerkowitzAllen has made anti-gay statements and also has been loudly praised by Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council:

"During Senator Helms' 1984 re-election campaign, Allen charged Helms' opponent, Jim Hunt, with having ties to "queers," a "remark that has stuck to him throughout his career," the Associated Press recently pointed out...........

Focus on the Family is tremendously pleased with Claude Allen's appointment," said Peter Brandt, the Colorado Springs, Colorado-based-ministry's senior director of government and public policy. "Claude has a distinguished history as a champion for policies designed to build strong families and strong marriages, going back to his days in the state government of Virginia. He has been very strong as the number two man at HHS, and we believe Claude will serve the president well."

In a statement, Tony Perkins, the President of the Family Research Council, said: "Claude Allen is a strong advocate for family values and will undoubtedly provide the President trustworthy counsel on key domestic issues. Mr. Allen's appointment is a hopeful sign that President Bush is committed to a pro-family agenda for his second term. While we would have liked to have seen Mr. Allen confirmed as a federal judge, his new post within the White House suggests that the 'values voter' will have a strong voice within the administration on policy decisions affecting the family. "

One more item of note :

Claude Allen apparently has been addicted to shoplifting.

Claude Alexander Allen, 45, had been under investigation in Maryland since early January for an alleged scheme to defraud department stores of thousands of dollars in a refund scheme and was arrested on Thursday on charges of a felony theft scheme and theft over $500, according to Montgomery County police -- charges carrying possible sentences of up to 15 years.

_____

Said President Bush - in reaction :

"When I heard the story last night I was shocked....And my first reaction was one of disappointment, deep disappointment that, if it's true , that we were not fully informed. But it was also one - shortly thereafter, I felt really sad for the Allen family.''

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