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George Allen (U.S. politician)
Encyclopedia
George Felix Allen is a former United States Senator
from the Commonwealth
of Virginia
, and the son of former NFL
head coach George Allen
. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor
, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress
, winning election to the Senate
in 2000
. Allen's re-election in the 2006 race seemed likely until he was accused of using a racist epithet when referring to a staffer of his opponent, Democrat
Jim Webb
. Allen lost the election to Webb by fewer than 10,000 votes. Allen now serves on the Reagan Ranch
Board of Governors of Young America's Foundation
where he is a Reagan Ranch Presidential Scholar. On January 24, 2011, Allen announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination in the 2012 election
for the U.S. Senate seat he previously held.
, California. Allen's father, George Herbert Allen
, was a legendary NFL
coach who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
in 2002. During the 2006 senatorial campaign it was revealed that Allen's mother, Henrietta Lumbroso, was born to Sephardic Jewish parents in Tunisia
. He has a younger sister, Jennifer, an author and correspondent for NFL Network
, and two brothers, including Bruce Allen, the current general manager of the Washington Redskins
and former general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
. He and his family lived there until 1957. They moved to the suburbs of Chicago after George Sr. got a job with the Chicago Bears
. Then, the family moved back to Southern California (Palos Verdes
) in 1966 after Allen's father was named head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.
, where he was a member of the falconry
club and the car club. He was also quarterback
of the varsity football team
.
Allen attended the University of California, Los Angeles
, for a year. His father had in the meantime taken over the head coaching duties with the Washington Redskins in 1970 and the younger Allen transferred to the University of Virginia
, in 1971, where he received a B.A. degree with distinction in history in 1974. He was class president in his fourth year at UVA.
After graduating, Allen completed a Juris Doctor
degree from the University of Virginia School of Law
in 1977. In 1976 he was the chairman of the "Young Virginians for Ronald Reagan
".
, Virginia.
Allen is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He is fond of using football
metaphor
s, a tendency that has been remarked upon by journalists and political commentators. Allen has been chewing tobacco
since he was introduced to it in high school by his father's football players.
. Allen's first race for the Virginia House of Delegates
was in 1979, two years after he graduated from law school. He placed third in a field of four candidates. Allen states that he lost because he wasn't himself and was listening to the advice of his campaign manager who suggested he wear wingtips
instead of his usual cowboy boots. He ran again in 1981 with the cowboy boots and won the election, beating Jim Murray. Peter Way, then Paul Harris succeeded Allen. The seat he held was the same one held by Thomas Jefferson
. He was a delegate from 1982 to 1991, representing a district in Albemarle County
.
for Virginia's 7th District
. Incumbent congressman D. French Slaughter, Jr.
had resigned due to a series of strokes. Allen's opponent was Slaughter's cousin, Kay Slaughter. Allen won with 63 percent of the vote.
Allen's career in the House was short-lived. In the 1990s round of redistricting
, Allen's district, which stretched from the fringes of the Washington
suburbs to Charlottesville
and included much of the Shenandoah Valley
, was eliminated even though Virginia gained a congressional seat as a result of the 1990 Census
. While Republican partisans claim the principal factor in redistricting were partisanship of the Democratic
controlled Virginia General Assembly
, available new GIS technology
were forecasting likely election behavior of some hypothetical districts. The U.S. Department of Justice was mandated to create a majority minority district under the Voting Rights Act
. Allen's district was eliminated as a result.
The 7th, which had been the home district of the Byrd family dynasty
, was split among three neighboring districts. While his home in Earlysville
was placed in the 5th District
of Lewis F. Payne, Jr.
, most of his district was placed in the 10th District
of Frank Wolf. Allen moved to Mount Vernon
and prepared to challenge Wolf in a primary. However, he bowed out of the primary a short time later; state Republican leaders
had let it be known that he could not expect any support for his planned run for governor in 1993 if he made such a challenge.
, serving from 1994 to 1998. His opponent in the 1993 election, Attorney General Mary Sue Terry
, had an early 29-point lead in public opinion polls and a million-dollar fundraising advantage. However, Allen struck a hot button with voters across party and racial lines with his campaign proposal to abolish parole. This response to a surge of crime in the state connected with voters, in contrast to Terry's proposal to increase gun control
as a remedy. Allen overcame the deficit and won with 58.3% of the vote, the largest margin (+17.4 points) since Albertis S. Harrison Jr.
defeated H. Clyde Pearson with a margin of +27.7 points in 1961.
Allen could not run for re-election because Virginia's constitution does not allow a governor to succeed himself; Virginia is the only state that has such a provision.
The Allen Administration's welfare reform law also addressed concerns over single-parent recipients of welfare requiring mothers to name the child's father and provide three additional pieces of information to help locate the non-custodial parent or face loss of all TANF benefits. Since 1995, Virginia has achieved a 98.5 percent rate of paternity identification, the highest in the country. By removing the perverse incentive to break up families, the Allen welfare reform allowed two parent households the same time to receive benefits as single parents. Because this law reversed the incentive of being a single parent TANF cases represented by two parent households increased by over 180 percent.
Notwithstanding a Democratic Party majority, Truth-in-sentencing (TIS) and abolition of parole were ultimately passed in a Special Session of the General Assembly with the House voting 89–7 and the Senate voting 34–4 in favor of the measure. On January 1, 1995, Allen’s central campaign promise became a reality when TIS and abolition of parole went into effect. According to the law, prison sentences increased for offenders without prior convictions for violent crimes by 125 percent, 300 percent for those with a prior felony conviction that originally had a maximum penalty of less than 40 years, and 500 percent for those with a felony conviction of a violent crime that originally had a minimum penalty of more than 40 years. Between 1994 and 1995, statistics show on average that first degree murders with violent records went from serving 15 years to 46 years.
In 1993, nearly half of all offenders released from prison were re-arrested for a new crime within 3 years. To prevent recidivism, TIS ensured that inmates serve a minimum of 85 percent of their sentence. As a result of TIS, first degree murderers went from serving 29.3 percent of imposed sentence to 91 percent,. While parole was eliminated for repeat violent offenders convicted after January 1, 1995, parole remained in effect for individuals incarcerated prior to TIS reform resulting in a rapid decline in the parole grant rate from 46 percent in 1991 to 5 percent in 1998.
Prior to the passage of Truth In Sentencing, prison populations were expected to grow 24 percent by 1997; however, prison population only increased 5 percent by 1997. Furthermore, the anticipated increase to prison population allowed Virginia to rent out extra prison space to other states.
According to statistics from the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, Virginia experienced a 26 percent decrease in violent crime from 1994. First degree murder declined 30 percent while burglary, assault, and rape by 23 percent, 10 percent, and 15 percent, respectively. Most notably, Virginia’s Tidewater region witnessed a dramatic decline in its violent crime from 6.8 per 1,000 residents in 1993 to 5.7 per 1,000 residents in 1996. Portsmouth boasted a 29 percent decline in violent crime between 1995 and 1996. Virginia Beach ranked as the safest big city in 1996, according to FBI statistics. However, it is disputed whether any of this is related to the Truth In Sentencing laws; other states saw similar declines in crime and Virginia no longer has any cities ranked among the safest in the country.
Initially, Allen succeeded in keeping Virginia’s educational reform independent from federal funding by using a line-item veto in the state’s budget, a power granted to Virginia governors. Allen argued that federal funding would force the Commonwealth to adhere to federal regulation, therefore, restricting the freedom of Virginia to craft its own high academic standards education plan. Despite Allen’s efforts to keep Virginia independent from federal education funds, the Virginia Board of Education applied for federal funds through the program Goals 2000.
During Allen’s tenure as Governor, the American Federation of Teachers rated the SOLs “exemplary” in the four core subjects. Under Allen’s legislation Virginia led 13 other states in aligning critical common core college and career-ready standards with American Diploma Project (ADP) English Benchmarks. College Board’s evaluation of the Virginia’s Mathematics SOLs found strong alignment with the College Boards Mathematics Standards.
On the tenth anniversary of the SOLs, Virginia saw an impressive increase to the Commonwealth’s schools achieving or exceeding test scores for full accreditation from 2.7 percent in 1998 to 84 percent in 2005. As of 2009, a record 98 percent of Virginia's public schools achieved full accreditation according to information released by the Virginia Department of Education. Students in 1,826 of the state's 1,867 schools passed the SOLs in 2008–09 school year.
In the late 1980s, one third of Virginia sixth-graders failed the Literacy Passport Test, a rudimentary literacy test, with no evidence improvement at the end of the decade. In 2009, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments show that Virginia elementary and middle school students outperformed their peers nationwide in both reading and mathematics. Virginia fourth and eighth grade students both scored four points higher nationally for mathematics while fourth graders scored seven points higher nationally for reading. As Virginia students achieve higher passing rates on the SOLs and NAEPs, more of Virginia's high school students plan taking the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which signal interest in pursuing a post-secondary education. In June 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell withdrew Virginia from President Obama’s Race to the Top education program citing that for fifteen years Virginia has been successful in making its educational standards superior.
, a company selling mobile, flip-screen computers. The firm never made a profit – it posted 33 consecutive quarterly losses after it went public in 1996. In September 1999, Allen and the rest of the company's board dismissed the company's accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers
, which had issued a report with a "going concern" paragraph that questioned the company’s financial health.
Allen made almost no money from the stock, according to his communications director, John Reid. According to the Associated Press, Allen steered compensation from his board service, other than stock options, to his law firm. He was granted options worth $1.5 million at their peak. Allen listed them on his disclosure forms for 2002 and 2003, but never exercised them.
Commonwealth granted Allen options on 15,000 shares of company stock at $7.50 a share in May 1999. Allen steered other compensation from his board service to his law firm, McGuire Woods. As of late 2006, Allen had not cashed in any options; the stock as of that date was well under $5 per share, making the options valueless for the moment. Commonwealth reported its first full year of profitability in 2005.
incumbent, Chuck Robb
. George Allen was the only Republican to unseat a Democratic incumbent that year. Allen was a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Allen was appointed in the last Congress
to serve as the chairman of the High Tech Task Force. Allen was elected as a member of the Senate Republican leadership as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
in 2002, and oversaw a net gain of four seats for the Republicans in the 2004 Senate elections. His successor as NRSC chair was Senator Elizabeth Dole
. Dole was chairman of the NRSC
in 2006, when Allen was defeated for re-election by Jim Webb
.
Below are some bills that Allen introduced or authored in the Senate
Introduced Constitutional Amendment to balance the budget
Introduced Line Item Veto
Introduced Paycheck Penalty Legislation, which withholds salaries from Congress until a budget is passed by beginning of the fiscal year
Introduced National Innovation Act, which promotes growth of American science and engineering by grants, scholarships and training
Introduced "Long-Term Care Act", which would allow people to use their 401(k)
accounts to pay for long term care insurance
Introduced "Flexibility for Champion Schools Act", which would allow states with higher education standards to lower their standards to match federal standards
Co-authored the Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act
, which extends the ban on various Internet taxes until 2007
and Joe Lieberman
, bipartisan legislation that promoted nanotechnology research and development in the United States.
The 21st century Nanotechnology Research & Development Act, which Senator Allen co-sponsored, . was signed into law by President Bush on December 3, 2003
The 21st century Nanotechnology Research & Development Act launched the National Nanotechnology Program establishing the goals, priorities, and metrics for evaluation of federal nanotechnology research and development, investment in federal nanotech research and development programs, and provide for interagency coordination of federal nanotechnology activities. The National Nanotechnology Program, which became the single largest federally-funded, multi-agency scientific research initiative since the space program in the 1960s, securing $3.63 billion over four years.
"From computers and electronic devices, to health care and pharmaceuticals, to agriculture, energy and our national defense, nanoscience will be the foundation of many of the revolutionary advances and discoveries in the decades to come and will soon occupy a major portion of the technology economy," said Allen when the bill was introduced.
Senator Allen was also the founding Chair of the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus.
In 2009, Senator Allen joined the board of nanoTox’s parent company, Nano Risk Assessment, Inc. owing to his early support of nanotechnology initiatives.
officer and retired civilian Pentagon budget analyst who ran on the Independent Green Party
ballot line. Allen ran a campaign that appealled to cultural conservatives. During the campaign the Marshall-Newman Amendment
was also on the ballot.
While the Virginia State Board of Elections still withheld its certification of the election results as of nightfall on November 8, Allen appeared in the initial count to fall short of winning re-election. Webb held a lead of approximately a third of a percent– 8,805 votes– for most of November 8; by the afternoon, he had named a transition team to plan the staffing of his Senate office.
On November 9, 2006, Senator Allen held a press conference in Alexandria, announcing he had conceded the race to challenger James Webb, and would not seek a recount, even though he was legally entitled to do so.
, maker of the Plan B
"morning after pill". The Webb campaign criticized Allen for holding stock in a company that makes a product that many of his supporters oppose. Allen responded by saying that he holds the stock because Barr has created jobs in Virginia, and by pointing to his consistently pro-life
voting record. As governor, Allen pushed successfully for parental notification of teenagers' abortions, and in the Senate, he opposed the approval of Plan B for over-the-counter sales, though he still favors its legality. Allen opposes the use of public funding for elective abortions, although he supports the legality of abortions in cases of incest, rape, or when the woman's life is endangered.
On August 11, 2006, at a campaign stop in Breaks, Virginia
, near the Kentucky
border, Allen twice used the word macaca
to refer to S.R. Sidarth, an Indian-American, who was filming the event as a "tracker" for the opposing Webb campaign.
Allen apologized, first saying he intended to say "mohawk," an incorrect reference to Sidarth's hair cut. He then revised his story, saying he meant to call Sidarth "caca" and then claiming that he did not know the meaning of the word. In 2008, The Washington Post
speculated that, were it not for this double utterance, Allen would have been a strong candidate for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination
. Macaca is a pejorative epithet used by francophone
colonialists in Central Africa's Belgian Congo
for the native population. It is derived from the name of the genus comprising macaque
monkeys whose name has also itself been used as a racial slur. The macaque's genus name, Macaca, is a latinization of the Bantu (Kongo) ma-kako, meaning "monkey".
Washington correspondent Michael Scherer reported that the magazine had interviewed 19 of his teammates and that "[t]hree former college football teammates of Sen. George Allen say that the Virginia Republican repeatedly used the racial epithet 'nigger
' and demonstrated racist attitudes toward blacks during the early 1970s." One of Allen's classmates who made such a claim is University of Virginia
political science professor Larry Sabato
. Sabato later said his information was second hand. However, seven teammates have stated they do not recall any racist behavior on Allen's part. Four of these have made
statements that were released by the Allen campaign.
Allen dismissed the claims as "ludicrously false."
reported that in all likelihood, Allen's mother Etty Allen, née Henrietta Lumbroso, was Jewish. At a debate on September 18, 2006, WUSA-TV reporter Peggy Fox noted to Allen, "It has been reported that your grandfather Felix, whom you were given your middle name for, was Jewish." Fox went on to ask, "Could you please tell us whether your forebearers include Jews, and if so, at which point Jewish identity might have ended?" Allen responded "You know what our first freedom in our country was? Freedom of religion. So I'd like to ask you, why is that relevant, my religion, Jim's religion, or the religious beliefs of anyone out here?" He went on to criticize Fox for making his religious heritage an issue, stating that "one of those values is freedom of religion and not making aspersions about people". This incident was then used to prompt speculation that he wanted to conceal his Jewish ancestry. The next day, Allen issued a statement confirming his mother's Jewish ancestry. Allen said his mother feared retribution against her family if her religious and ethnic background became public, and had originally asked Allen to keep that information private.
“The core principle of freedom of conscience, beliefs and religion was no longer a matter of enlightened philosophy to me; it became deeply personal in my heart-wrenching realization of how fear and persecution so tormented my loving, loyal mother’s life.”
Allen’s speech also covered his devoted interests to stop racism and anti Semitism:
“A salient lesson I learned is: when injustice or the ugly head of racism, anti-Semitism, or repression arises, leaders must deplore it. Otherwise, people may believe it to be acceptable or condoned...We need to understand that the denial of freedom and opportunity to any person anywhere is an injustice that should be intolerable to freedom-loving people everywhere”
The speech ended with a standing ovation as Allen blew the symbolic shofar, a ram’s horn used for Jewish Holy days
Some minority groups, especially African-Americans, in Virginia criticized Allen for his policies and his embrace of the Confederate flag. Allen however claimed that the confederate flag is a symbol of southern and state heritage as Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy. Allen also opposed a separate state holiday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. The state holiday in favor of Martin Luther King Jr. was initially attached to Lee-Jackson day, a day honoring noted Generals Robert E. Lee
and Stonewall Jackson
.
In 1995, 1996, and 1997, Allen proclaimed April as Confederate History and Heritage Month and called the Civil War
"a four-year struggle for independence and sovereign rights."
On October 2, 2010, Columnist Robert McCartney of the Washington Post reported that Allen supports current Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's plan to name April 2011 "Civil War in Virginia" month.
"Allen in a two-sentence response to my request for comment, said he agreed with McDonnell's 'decision to recognize all aspects of this pivotal and tragic time in our nation's history.' Although he didn't use the word 'slavery,' Allen indirectly welcomed the Union's victory in 1865 as an advance for liberty.
'It is vital that we understand the motivations, lives and deaths of the men and women of every background, race and social status who were part of this important struggle to fulfill the words of the Declaration of Independence, that all men and women should enjoy the freedom and rights given to them by God,' Allen said."
While serving in the Senate, Allen played a minor role as a Confederate
officer in the 2003 film Gods and Generals
, a movie that included many cameo
s of politicians such as Senator Robert Byrd
and former Senator Phil Gramm
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1329758/. His role included singing "The Bonnie Blue Flag
".
Publishing, 2000) that Allen sometimes violently attacked his younger siblings and his sister's boyfriend during his childhood.
In May 2006, Richard qualified some of the claims made in the book. She stated that the book was a "novelization of the past" and written from the perspective of a young girl "surrounded by older brothers and a larger-than-life father." She states that she has a good relationship with her brother and noted that Allen stepped in for their father to walk her down the aisle at her wedding.
(the first state with a presidential caucus
) and New Hampshire
(the first state with a presidential primary
). He had been widely assumed to be preparing a run for president.
In a survey of 175 Washington insiders by National Journal
, released in April 2005, Allen was the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election. In an insider survey by National Journal a year later, in May 2006, Allen had dropped to second place, and John McCain
held a 3-to-1 lead over Allen.
After the November 2006 election, it was widely assumed that Allen was no longer a viable candidate for the Republican nomination, principally because of the damage caused by the incidents that caused his double-digit lead in the polls to turn to a narrow defeat that contributed to the Republicans' loss of control of the Senate.
On December 10, 2006, Allen gave an interview in which he stated that he would not seek the 2008 nomination.
Scholar with Young America's Foundation
. He is also the President of George Allen Strategies, a lobbying and consulting firm based in Alexandria
, Virginia, and leads the American Energy Freedom Center, a conservative think tank affiliated with the Institute for Energy Research
. He is also writing a book entitled The Triumph of Character: What Washington Can Learn From the World of Sports.
In October 2007, the campaign of GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson announced that Allen was one of three national co-chairs for the campaign. That month, Allen declined to speculate on his political future. Commenting on the 2009 governor's race in Virginia
, Allen not only said that he had made no decisions but that "Susan and I have listened to a lot of people encouraging us to do that." On January 8, 2008, Allen said that he would not run for governor in 2009, but later left open the possibility of challenging Democratic Senator Webb in 2012.
On May 25, 2010, Regnery Press published Allen's first book, "What Washington Can Learn From the World of Sports", in which he draws parallels and contrasts between two of the nation’s favorite passions. Allen suggests that government need look no further than the football field, baseball diamond, or basketball court to solve today’s pressing problems because, in sports, teamwork is essential, cheating is frowned upon and the rules don’t change.
, who defeated Allen in 2006. As of January 2011, the only other announced candidate was Virginia Tea Party leader Jamie Radtke
. Reaction to his announcement was immediate, Lowell Feld, publisher of the progressive Blue Virginia blog, called him "Felix Macacawitz," a reference to the "macaca controversy" that doomed his previous run for Senate. Senator Webb said that he "doesn't care" what Allen is doing in preparation for his campaign. He later announced he was not running for reelection.
Archival Records
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from the Commonwealth
Commonwealth (United States)
Four of the constituent states of the United States officially designate themselves Commonwealths: Kentucky, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Virginia....
of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and the son of former NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
head coach George Allen
George Allen (football)
George Herbert Allen was an American football coach in the National Football League and the United States Football League. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.-Early life:...
. Allen served Virginia in the state legislature, as the 67th Governor
Governor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
, and in both bodies of the U.S. Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, winning election to the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 2000
United States Senate election in Virginia, 2000
The 2000 United States Senate election in Virginia was held on November 7, 2000. Incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator Chuck Robb decided to seek re-election to a third term, but was defeated by Republican nominee George Allen. -Democratic:...
. Allen's re-election in the 2006 race seemed likely until he was accused of using a racist epithet when referring to a staffer of his opponent, Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
. Allen lost the election to Webb by fewer than 10,000 votes. Allen now serves on the Reagan Ranch
Rancho del Cielo
Rancho del Cielo, or "Sky's or Heaven's Ranch," is a ranch located on the top of the Santa Ynez Mountain range northwest of Santa Barbara, California...
Board of Governors of Young America's Foundation
Young America's Foundation
Young America's Foundation is a conservative youth organization, founded in 1969, with a focus on sharing conservative ideas with students through conferences, campus lectures, seminars, posters, and activism initiatives.-History:...
where he is a Reagan Ranch Presidential Scholar. On January 24, 2011, Allen announced his intention to seek the Republican nomination in the 2012 election
United States Senate election in Virginia, 2012
The 2012 United States Senate election in Virginia will take place on November 6, 2012 concurrently with the 2012 U.S. presidential election as well as other elections to the United States Senate and House of Representatives and various state and local elections. Incumbent Democratic U.S...
for the U.S. Senate seat he previously held.
Family and early years
Allen was born in WhittierWhittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, California. Allen's father, George Herbert Allen
George Allen (football)
George Herbert Allen was an American football coach in the National Football League and the United States Football League. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2002.-Early life:...
, was a legendary NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
coach who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
in 2002. During the 2006 senatorial campaign it was revealed that Allen's mother, Henrietta Lumbroso, was born to Sephardic Jewish parents in Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
. He has a younger sister, Jennifer, an author and correspondent for NFL Network
NFL Network
NFL Network is an American television specialty channel owned and operated by the National Football League . It was launched November 4, 2003, only eight months after the league's 32 team owners voted unanimously to approve its formation...
, and two brothers, including Bruce Allen, the current general manager of the Washington Redskins
Washington Redskins
The Washington Redskins are a professional American football team and members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team plays at FedExField in Landover, Maryland, while its headquarters and training facility are at Redskin Park in Ashburn,...
and former general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
. He and his family lived there until 1957. They moved to the suburbs of Chicago after George Sr. got a job with the Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Then, the family moved back to Southern California (Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes
Palos Verdes is a name often used to refer to a group of coastal cities in the Palos Verdes Hills on the Palos Verdes Peninsula, within southwestern Los Angeles County in the U.S...
) in 1966 after Allen's father was named head coach of the Los Angeles Rams.
Education
Allen graduated in 1970 from Palos Verdes High SchoolPalos Verdes High School
Palos Verdes High School is one of three public high schools on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in Southern California, USA...
, where he was a member of the falconry
Falconry
Falconry is "the taking of wild quarry in its natural state and habitat by means of a trained raptor". There are two traditional terms used to describe a person involved in falconry: a falconer flies a falcon; an austringer flies a hawk or an eagle...
club and the car club. He was also quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
of the varsity football team
Football team
A football team is the collective name given to a group of players selected together in the various team sports known as football.Such teams could be selected to play in an against an opposing team, to represent a football club, group, state or nation, an All-star team or even selected as a...
.
Allen attended the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, for a year. His father had in the meantime taken over the head coaching duties with the Washington Redskins in 1970 and the younger Allen transferred to the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, in 1971, where he received a B.A. degree with distinction in history in 1974. He was class president in his fourth year at UVA.
After graduating, Allen completed a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degree from the University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law
The University of Virginia School of Law was founded in Charlottesville in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson as one of the original subjects taught at his "academical village," the University of Virginia. The law school maintains an enrollment of approximately 1,100 students in its initial degree program...
in 1977. In 1976 he was the chairman of the "Young Virginians for Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
".
Personal
Allen married Anne Patrice Rubel in June 1979. They divorced in 1983. In 1986 Allen married Susan Brown. The couple have three children: Tyler, Forrest and Brooke. The Allens are residents of Mount VernonMount Vernon, Virginia
Mount Vernon is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Nearby CDPs are Fort Belvoir , Groveton, Virginia and Hybla Valley, Virginia , and Fort Hunt, Virginia...
, Virginia.
Allen is a member of the Presbyterian Church. He is fond of using football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
s, a tendency that has been remarked upon by journalists and political commentators. Allen has been chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco
Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco Chewing tobacco (also known colloquially as hoobastank, backy, tobac, doogooos,Hogleg, chewpoos, chits, chewsky, chawsky, dip, flab, chowers, guy, or a wad, as well as referred to as dipsky, snuff, a pinch, a yopper, a Packing a bomb, a tobbackey or packing a...
since he was introduced to it in high school by his father's football players.
Virginia state delegate
After earning his law degree, Allen served as clerk for a federal judge and then opened a law office in CharlottesvilleCharlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
. Allen's first race for the Virginia House of Delegates
Virginia House of Delegates
The Virginia House of Delegates is the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly. It has 100 members elected for terms of two years; unlike most states, these elections take place during odd-numbered years. The House is presided over by the Speaker of the House, who is elected from among the...
was in 1979, two years after he graduated from law school. He placed third in a field of four candidates. Allen states that he lost because he wasn't himself and was listening to the advice of his campaign manager who suggested he wear wingtips
Brogues
The Brogue is a style of low-heeled shoe or boot traditionally characterized by multiple-piece, sturdy leather uppers with decorative perforations and serration along the pieces' visible edges...
instead of his usual cowboy boots. He ran again in 1981 with the cowboy boots and won the election, beating Jim Murray. Peter Way, then Paul Harris succeeded Allen. The seat he held was the same one held by Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
. He was a delegate from 1982 to 1991, representing a district in Albemarle County
Albemarle County, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 79,236 people, 31,876 households, and 21,070 families residing in the county. The population density was 110 people per square mile . There were 33,720 housing units at an average density of 47 per square mile...
.
U.S. House of Representatives
On November 5, 1991, Allen won a special election to fill the seat in the U.S. House of RepresentativesUnited States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
for Virginia's 7th District
Virginia's 7th congressional district
Virginia's Seventh Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The district is currently represented by Republican Congressman Eric Cantor, the current House majority leader, first elected in 2000.-Voting:...
. Incumbent congressman D. French Slaughter, Jr.
D. French Slaughter, Jr.
Daniel French Slaughter, Jr. was an American politician.-Early life and education:Daniel Slaughter Jr. was born in Culpeper, Virginia and attended public schools in Culpeper County. He attended Virginia Military Institute and graduated in 1953 with a B.A. and LL.B...
had resigned due to a series of strokes. Allen's opponent was Slaughter's cousin, Kay Slaughter. Allen won with 63 percent of the vote.
Allen's career in the House was short-lived. In the 1990s round of redistricting
United States congressional apportionment
United States congressional apportionment is the process by which seats in the United States House of Representatives are redistributed amongst the 50 states following each constitutionally mandated decennial census. Each state is apportioned a number of seats which approximately corresponds to its...
, Allen's district, which stretched from the fringes of the Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
suburbs to Charlottesville
Charlottesville, Virginia
Charlottesville is an independent city geographically surrounded by but separate from Albemarle County in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States, and named after Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the queen consort of King George III of the United Kingdom.The official population estimate for...
and included much of the Shenandoah Valley
Shenandoah Valley
The Shenandoah Valley is both a geographic valley and cultural region of western Virginia and West Virginia in the United States. The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians , to the north by the Potomac River...
, was eliminated even though Virginia gained a congressional seat as a result of the 1990 Census
United States Census, 1990
The Twenty-first United States Census, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States to be 248,709,873, an increase of 9.8 percent over the 226,545,805 persons enumerated during the 1980 Census....
. While Republican partisans claim the principal factor in redistricting were partisanship of the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
controlled Virginia General Assembly
Virginia General Assembly
The Virginia General Assembly is the legislative body of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the oldest legislative body in the Western Hemisphere, established on July 30, 1619. The General Assembly is a bicameral body consisting of a lower house, the Virginia House of Delegates, with 100 members,...
, available new GIS technology
Geographic Information System
A geographic information system, geographical information science, or geospatial information studies is a system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographically referenced data...
were forecasting likely election behavior of some hypothetical districts. The U.S. Department of Justice was mandated to create a majority minority district under the Voting Rights Act
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of national legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S....
. Allen's district was eliminated as a result.
The 7th, which had been the home district of the Byrd family dynasty
Byrd Organization
The Byrd Organization was a political machine led by former Governor and U.S. Senator Harry F. Byrd, Sr. that dominated Virginia politics for much of the middle portion of the 20th century...
, was split among three neighboring districts. While his home in Earlysville
Earlysville, Virginia
Earlysville is an unincorporated community in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States, roughly north of Charlottesville. It is named for John Early, who in 1822 bought just under of land that now comprise a portion of the town. Earlysville has a small central business district , with a grocery...
was placed in the 5th District
Virginia's 5th congressional district
Virginia's fifth congressional district is a United States congressional district in the commonwealth of Virginia. It covers all or part of Greene, Campbell, Bedford, Albermarle, Nelson, Fluvanna, Buckingham, Cumberland, Appomattox, Prince Edward, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Franklin, Henry,...
of Lewis F. Payne, Jr.
Lewis F. Payne, Jr.
Lewis Franklin Payne, Jr. is a former member of the United States House of Representatives from the Commonwealth of Virginia. He served the of the state, which covers much of Southside Virginia....
, most of his district was placed in the 10th District
Virginia's 10th congressional district
Virginia's Tenth Congressional District is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The residents of the 10th District are currently represented by Republican Congressman Frank Wolf, first elected to the 10th's seat in the U.S...
of Frank Wolf. Allen moved to Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon, Virginia
Mount Vernon is a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Nearby CDPs are Fort Belvoir , Groveton, Virginia and Hybla Valley, Virginia , and Fort Hunt, Virginia...
and prepared to challenge Wolf in a primary. However, he bowed out of the primary a short time later; state Republican leaders
Republican Party of Virginia
The Republican Party of Virginia is the Virginia chapter of the Republican Party. It is based in the Richard D. Obenshain Center in Richmond in the Commonwealth of Virginia.- Organization and candidate selection :The State Party Plan...
had let it be known that he could not expect any support for his planned run for governor in 1993 if he made such a challenge.
Governor
In November 1993, Allen was elected the 67th Governor of VirginiaGovernor of Virginia
The governor of Virginia serves as the chief executive of the Commonwealth of Virginia for a four-year term. The position is currently held by Republican Bob McDonnell, who was inaugurated on January 16, 2010, as the 71st governor of Virginia....
, serving from 1994 to 1998. His opponent in the 1993 election, Attorney General Mary Sue Terry
Mary Sue Terry
Mary Sue Terry is a Democratic politician from Virginia, born September 28, 1947, in Martinsville, Virginia.-Early life:Miss Terry was an active and enthusiastic Democrat as a girl.She was graduated from in Critz, Virginia in 1965...
, had an early 29-point lead in public opinion polls and a million-dollar fundraising advantage. However, Allen struck a hot button with voters across party and racial lines with his campaign proposal to abolish parole. This response to a surge of crime in the state connected with voters, in contrast to Terry's proposal to increase gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
as a remedy. Allen overcame the deficit and won with 58.3% of the vote, the largest margin (+17.4 points) since Albertis S. Harrison Jr.
Albertis S. Harrison Jr.
Albertis Sydney Harrison Jr. was the 59th Governor of Virginia from 1962–1966. Before serving as governor, he was the Brunswick County, Virginia Commonwealth's Attorney, and Attorney General. His administration focused on industrial development, technical education, improving highways, and...
defeated H. Clyde Pearson with a margin of +27.7 points in 1961.
Allen could not run for re-election because Virginia's constitution does not allow a governor to succeed himself; Virginia is the only state that has such a provision.
Welfare Reform
During his 1993 campaign for Governor, Allen vowed to reform Virginia's welfare system, stating that "Our obligation as a society is to provide a hand up to those in need, rather than a handout ...Welfare is not to be a permanent status for anyone in life." At the time welfare caseloads climbed 36 percent from 1988 while one out of twelve Virginians were receiving food stamps. In March 1995, after an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote of support, Allen signed his welfare reform bill propelling Virginia ahead of the national welfare reform effort, Among the key provisions outlined in the bill, the Virginia Initiative for Employment Not Welfare (VIEW) limited Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits for welfare recipients to two years while recipients are required to work within ninety days of receiving benefits. Following VIEW's implementation, welfare caseloads decreased 33 percent, from 73,926 families in March 1995 to 49,609 families in July 1997. In areas where VIEW existed for twelve months, 74 percent were employed versus only 31 percent nationally,. According to the Virginia Department of Health and Human Resource's 1996 annual report, VIEW saved taxpayers 24 million dollar in its first year of existence; with an addition to federal welfare money, the savings total over the following two years comes to just over $70 million (December 19, 1995) "Savings Estimated On Welfare Reform," Richmond Times Dispatch. pg. A14.)The Allen Administration's welfare reform law also addressed concerns over single-parent recipients of welfare requiring mothers to name the child's father and provide three additional pieces of information to help locate the non-custodial parent or face loss of all TANF benefits. Since 1995, Virginia has achieved a 98.5 percent rate of paternity identification, the highest in the country. By removing the perverse incentive to break up families, the Allen welfare reform allowed two parent households the same time to receive benefits as single parents. Because this law reversed the incentive of being a single parent TANF cases represented by two parent households increased by over 180 percent.
Truth-in-Sentencing
In November 1993, Allen’s campaign promise to abolish parole for violent criminals drove him to a landslide victory after trailing from a 33 percent point deficit in the polls to Democrat Mary Sue Terry,Notwithstanding a Democratic Party majority, Truth-in-sentencing (TIS) and abolition of parole were ultimately passed in a Special Session of the General Assembly with the House voting 89–7 and the Senate voting 34–4 in favor of the measure. On January 1, 1995, Allen’s central campaign promise became a reality when TIS and abolition of parole went into effect. According to the law, prison sentences increased for offenders without prior convictions for violent crimes by 125 percent, 300 percent for those with a prior felony conviction that originally had a maximum penalty of less than 40 years, and 500 percent for those with a felony conviction of a violent crime that originally had a minimum penalty of more than 40 years. Between 1994 and 1995, statistics show on average that first degree murders with violent records went from serving 15 years to 46 years.
In 1993, nearly half of all offenders released from prison were re-arrested for a new crime within 3 years. To prevent recidivism, TIS ensured that inmates serve a minimum of 85 percent of their sentence. As a result of TIS, first degree murderers went from serving 29.3 percent of imposed sentence to 91 percent,. While parole was eliminated for repeat violent offenders convicted after January 1, 1995, parole remained in effect for individuals incarcerated prior to TIS reform resulting in a rapid decline in the parole grant rate from 46 percent in 1991 to 5 percent in 1998.
Prior to the passage of Truth In Sentencing, prison populations were expected to grow 24 percent by 1997; however, prison population only increased 5 percent by 1997. Furthermore, the anticipated increase to prison population allowed Virginia to rent out extra prison space to other states.
According to statistics from the Virginia Criminal Sentencing Commission, Virginia experienced a 26 percent decrease in violent crime from 1994. First degree murder declined 30 percent while burglary, assault, and rape by 23 percent, 10 percent, and 15 percent, respectively. Most notably, Virginia’s Tidewater region witnessed a dramatic decline in its violent crime from 6.8 per 1,000 residents in 1993 to 5.7 per 1,000 residents in 1996. Portsmouth boasted a 29 percent decline in violent crime between 1995 and 1996. Virginia Beach ranked as the safest big city in 1996, according to FBI statistics. However, it is disputed whether any of this is related to the Truth In Sentencing laws; other states saw similar declines in crime and Virginia no longer has any cities ranked among the safest in the country.
Standards of Learning
In June 1995, the Virginia Board of Education adopted Governor Allen’s Commission on Champion Schools recommendation for statewide standardized tests for academic accountability. The Board of Education voted in favor of implementing the Standards of Learning (SOLs) which measures student achievements and ensures accountability for schools in the core subjects of English, mathematics, history, economics, and science. The commission also recommended the creation of an annual ‘report card’ to grade each public school's performance stating that: “If Virginia’s youngsters can’t make the grade, then neither should their schools” (2)(9). Experts suggested that in order to improve the quality of learning, a school should emphasize academic goals and effective leadership. By using measurement through tests, the state, teachers, and parents can monitor the effectiveness of schools teaching the basic fundamental subjects (1). Allen’s legislation used public data of SOLs test scores along with school attendance and drop-out rates to ensure that unsatisfactory schools are accountable by the threat of state takeover through court action.Initially, Allen succeeded in keeping Virginia’s educational reform independent from federal funding by using a line-item veto in the state’s budget, a power granted to Virginia governors. Allen argued that federal funding would force the Commonwealth to adhere to federal regulation, therefore, restricting the freedom of Virginia to craft its own high academic standards education plan. Despite Allen’s efforts to keep Virginia independent from federal education funds, the Virginia Board of Education applied for federal funds through the program Goals 2000.
During Allen’s tenure as Governor, the American Federation of Teachers rated the SOLs “exemplary” in the four core subjects. Under Allen’s legislation Virginia led 13 other states in aligning critical common core college and career-ready standards with American Diploma Project (ADP) English Benchmarks. College Board’s evaluation of the Virginia’s Mathematics SOLs found strong alignment with the College Boards Mathematics Standards.
On the tenth anniversary of the SOLs, Virginia saw an impressive increase to the Commonwealth’s schools achieving or exceeding test scores for full accreditation from 2.7 percent in 1998 to 84 percent in 2005. As of 2009, a record 98 percent of Virginia's public schools achieved full accreditation according to information released by the Virginia Department of Education. Students in 1,826 of the state's 1,867 schools passed the SOLs in 2008–09 school year.
In the late 1980s, one third of Virginia sixth-graders failed the Literacy Passport Test, a rudimentary literacy test, with no evidence improvement at the end of the decade. In 2009, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments show that Virginia elementary and middle school students outperformed their peers nationwide in both reading and mathematics. Virginia fourth and eighth grade students both scored four points higher nationally for mathematics while fourth graders scored seven points higher nationally for reading. As Virginia students achieve higher passing rates on the SOLs and NAEPs, more of Virginia's high school students plan taking the SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which signal interest in pursuing a post-secondary education. In June 2010, Governor Bob McDonnell withdrew Virginia from President Obama’s Race to the Top education program citing that for fifteen years Virginia has been successful in making its educational standards superior.
Law partner
In February 1998, Allen became a Richmond-based partner at the law firm McGuire Woods Battle & Boothe (now McGuireWoods LLP), as head of its business expansion and relocation team. At the time, Allen said "I think it's healthy to get out of government. If you stay in too long, you lose track of reality and the real world." According to a disclosure form Allen filed on May 12, 2000, he was paid $450,000 by the firm between January 1999 and April 2000.Board member
While out of office, Allen became a director at two Virginia high-tech companies and advised a third, all government contractors that he had assisted while governor.Xybernaut
In mid-1998, Allen joined the board of XybernautXybernaut
Xybernaut Corporation is a provider of wearable / mobile computing hardware, software and services, bringing communications and full-function computing power in a hands-free design. Its products included the Atigo tablet PC, Poma wearable computer, and the MA-V wearable computer...
, a company selling mobile, flip-screen computers. The firm never made a profit – it posted 33 consecutive quarterly losses after it went public in 1996. In September 1999, Allen and the rest of the company's board dismissed the company's accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers
PricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
, which had issued a report with a "going concern" paragraph that questioned the company’s financial health.
Allen made almost no money from the stock, according to his communications director, John Reid. According to the Associated Press, Allen steered compensation from his board service, other than stock options, to his law firm. He was granted options worth $1.5 million at their peak. Allen listed them on his disclosure forms for 2002 and 2003, but never exercised them.
Commonwealth Biotechnologies
Allen joined Commonwealth's board of directors about two months after leaving the governor's office in January 1998. "I learned a lot on their board and enjoyed working with 'em, and they seem to be doing all right, I guess," Allen said in October 2006.Commonwealth granted Allen options on 15,000 shares of company stock at $7.50 a share in May 1999. Allen steered other compensation from his board service to his law firm, McGuire Woods. As of late 2006, Allen had not cashed in any options; the stock as of that date was well under $5 per share, making the options valueless for the moment. Commonwealth reported its first full year of profitability in 2005.
Com-Net Ericsson
Allen became a member of the advisory board of Com-Net Ericsson in February 2000. The advisory board's responsibility was to meet at least twice a year and provide advice and service. Allen terminated his service on the board before the end of 2000. He was paid approximately $300,000 for his services.United States Senate
Allen was elected to the Senate in November 2000, defeating the DemocraticDemocratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
incumbent, Chuck Robb
Chuck Robb
Charles Spittal "Chuck" Robb is an American politician. He served as the 64th Governor of Virginia from 1982 to 1986, and as a United States senator from 1989 until 2001. In 2004, he chaired the Iraq Intelligence Commission.-Early life:...
. George Allen was the only Republican to unseat a Democratic incumbent that year. Allen was a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, the Foreign Relations Committee and the Energy and Natural Resources Committee.
Allen was appointed in the last Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
to serve as the chairman of the High Tech Task Force. Allen was elected as a member of the Senate Republican leadership as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
in 2002, and oversaw a net gain of four seats for the Republicans in the 2004 Senate elections. His successor as NRSC chair was Senator Elizabeth Dole
Elizabeth Dole
Mary Elizabeth Alexander Hanford "Liddy" Dole is an American politician who served in both the Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush presidential administrations, as well as a United States Senator....
. Dole was chairman of the NRSC
National Republican Senatorial Committee
The National Republican Senatorial Committee is the Republican Hill committee for the United States Senate, working to elect Republicans to that body. The NRSC was founded in 1916 as the Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee...
in 2006, when Allen was defeated for re-election by Jim Webb
Jim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
.
Below are some bills that Allen introduced or authored in the Senate
401(k)
A 401 is a type of retirement savings account in the United States, which takes its name from subsection of the Internal Revenue Code . A contributor can begin to withdraw funds after reaching the age of 59 1/2 years...
accounts to pay for long term care insurance
Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act
The Internet Tax Nondiscrimination Act, , is the current U.S. federal law that bans Internet taxes in the United States. Signed into law on December 3, 2004, by George W. Bush, it extended until 2007 the then-current moratorium on new and discriminatory taxes on the Internet...
, which extends the ban on various Internet taxes until 2007
21st century Nanotechnology Research & Development Act
In 2002, Senator George Allen made competitiveness in nanotechnology a priority by introducing, together with Senators Ron WydenRon Wyden
Ronald Lee "Ron" Wyden is the senior U.S. Senator for Oregon, serving since 1996, and a member of the Democratic Party. He previously served in the United States House of Representatives from 1981 to 1996....
and Joe Lieberman
Joe Lieberman
Joseph Isadore "Joe" Lieberman is the senior United States Senator from Connecticut. A former member of the Democratic Party, he was the party's nominee for Vice President in the 2000 election. Currently an independent, he remains closely affiliated with the party.Born in Stamford, Connecticut,...
, bipartisan legislation that promoted nanotechnology research and development in the United States.
The 21st century Nanotechnology Research & Development Act, which Senator Allen co-sponsored, . was signed into law by President Bush on December 3, 2003
The 21st century Nanotechnology Research & Development Act launched the National Nanotechnology Program establishing the goals, priorities, and metrics for evaluation of federal nanotechnology research and development, investment in federal nanotech research and development programs, and provide for interagency coordination of federal nanotechnology activities. The National Nanotechnology Program, which became the single largest federally-funded, multi-agency scientific research initiative since the space program in the 1960s, securing $3.63 billion over four years.
"From computers and electronic devices, to health care and pharmaceuticals, to agriculture, energy and our national defense, nanoscience will be the foundation of many of the revolutionary advances and discoveries in the decades to come and will soon occupy a major portion of the technology economy," said Allen when the bill was introduced.
Senator Allen was also the founding Chair of the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus.
In 2009, Senator Allen joined the board of nanoTox’s parent company, Nano Risk Assessment, Inc. owing to his early support of nanotechnology initiatives.
2006 re-election campaign
Allen's term in the Senate expired in January 2007. He sought re-election in 2006. Allen won the Republican nomination on August 11, 2006, and faced two opponents in the general election: the Democratic Party nominee, former Secretary of the Navy James H. Webb, and Gail Parker, a retired Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
officer and retired civilian Pentagon budget analyst who ran on the Independent Green Party
Independent Green Party of Virginia
The Independent Greens of Virginia, , is the state affiliate of the Independence Party of America in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It became a state party around 2003 when a faction of the Arlington local chapter of the Green Party of Virginia split from the main party...
ballot line. Allen ran a campaign that appealled to cultural conservatives. During the campaign the Marshall-Newman Amendment
Marshall-Newman Amendment
The Marshall-Newman Amendment also referred to as the Virginia Marriage Amendment is an amendment to the Constitution of Virginia that defines marriage as solely between one man and one woman and bans recognition of any legal status "approximat[ing] the design, qualities, significance, or effects...
was also on the ballot.
While the Virginia State Board of Elections still withheld its certification of the election results as of nightfall on November 8, Allen appeared in the initial count to fall short of winning re-election. Webb held a lead of approximately a third of a percent– 8,805 votes– for most of November 8; by the afternoon, he had named a transition team to plan the staffing of his Senate office.
On November 9, 2006, Senator Allen held a press conference in Alexandria, announcing he had conceded the race to challenger James Webb, and would not seek a recount, even though he was legally entitled to do so.
Ownership of Barr Labs stock
It was reported on August 8, 2006, that Allen owned stock in Barr PharmaceuticalsBarr Pharmaceuticals
Barr Pharmaceuticals was a global specialty pharmaceutical company that operated in more than 30 countries worldwide. Barr were engaged in the development, manufacture and marketing of generic and proprietary pharmaceuticals, biopharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients.-History:Barr...
, maker of the Plan B
Levonorgestrel
Levonorgestrel is a second generation synthetic progestogen used as an active ingredient in some hormonal contraceptives.-Chemistry:...
"morning after pill". The Webb campaign criticized Allen for holding stock in a company that makes a product that many of his supporters oppose. Allen responded by saying that he holds the stock because Barr has created jobs in Virginia, and by pointing to his consistently pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
voting record. As governor, Allen pushed successfully for parental notification of teenagers' abortions, and in the Senate, he opposed the approval of Plan B for over-the-counter sales, though he still favors its legality. Allen opposes the use of public funding for elective abortions, although he supports the legality of abortions in cases of incest, rape, or when the woman's life is endangered.
"Macaca" controversy
Breaks Interstate Park
Breaks Interstate Park, also referred as the "Grand Canyon of the South", is located in southeastern Kentucky and southwestern Virginia at the northeastern terminus of Pine Mountain...
, near the Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
border, Allen twice used the word macaca
Macaca (slur)
Macaca is a word used by George Allen in 2006 that began a controversy because it sounds similar to the French word "macaque". It was reported by journalists to be a racial slur against African immigrants in some European cultures; and by Zairian painter Tshibumba Kanda Matulu to be a pejorative...
to refer to S.R. Sidarth, an Indian-American, who was filming the event as a "tracker" for the opposing Webb campaign.
Allen apologized, first saying he intended to say "mohawk," an incorrect reference to Sidarth's hair cut. He then revised his story, saying he meant to call Sidarth "caca" and then claiming that he did not know the meaning of the word. In 2008, The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
speculated that, were it not for this double utterance, Allen would have been a strong candidate for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination
Republican Party (United States) presidential primaries, 2008
The 2008 Republican presidential primaries were the selection process by which voters of the Republican Party chose its nominee for President of the United States in the 2008 U.S. presidential election...
. Macaca is a pejorative epithet used by francophone
Francophone
The adjective francophone means French-speaking, typically as primary language, whether referring to individuals, groups, or places. Often, the word is used as a noun to describe a natively French-speaking person....
colonialists in Central Africa's Belgian Congo
Belgian Congo
The Belgian Congo was the formal title of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo between King Leopold II's formal relinquishment of his personal control over the state to Belgium on 15 November 1908, and Congolese independence on 30 June 1960.-Congo Free State, 1884–1908:Until the latter...
for the native population. It is derived from the name of the genus comprising macaque
Macaque
The macaques constitute a genus of Old World monkeys of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. - Description :Aside from humans , the macaques are the most widespread primate genus, ranging from Japan to Afghanistan and, in the case of the barbary macaque, to North Africa...
monkeys whose name has also itself been used as a racial slur. The macaque's genus name, Macaca, is a latinization of the Bantu (Kongo) ma-kako, meaning "monkey".
Allegations of Allen's use of racial slurs in college
On September 24, 2006, Salon.comSalon.com
Salon.com, part of Salon Media Group , often just called Salon, is an online liberal magazine, with content updated each weekday. Salon was founded by David Talbot and launched on November 20, 1995. It was the internet's first online-only commercial publication. The magazine focuses on U.S...
Washington correspondent Michael Scherer reported that the magazine had interviewed 19 of his teammates and that "[t]hree former college football teammates of Sen. George Allen say that the Virginia Republican repeatedly used the racial epithet 'nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
' and demonstrated racist attitudes toward blacks during the early 1970s." One of Allen's classmates who made such a claim is University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
political science professor Larry Sabato
Larry Sabato
Larry Joseph Sabato is an American political scientist and analyst. He is the Robert Kent Gooch Professor of Politics at the University of Virginia, and director of its Center for Politics. He founded Sabato's Crystal Ball, an online newsletter and website that provides free political analysis and...
. Sabato later said his information was second hand. However, seven teammates have stated they do not recall any racist behavior on Allen's part. Four of these have made
statements that were released by the Allen campaign.
Allen dismissed the claims as "ludicrously false."
Mother's religious and ethnic background
On August 25, 2006, the Jewish periodical The ForwardThe Forward
The Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
reported that in all likelihood, Allen's mother Etty Allen, née Henrietta Lumbroso, was Jewish. At a debate on September 18, 2006, WUSA-TV reporter Peggy Fox noted to Allen, "It has been reported that your grandfather Felix, whom you were given your middle name for, was Jewish." Fox went on to ask, "Could you please tell us whether your forebearers include Jews, and if so, at which point Jewish identity might have ended?" Allen responded "You know what our first freedom in our country was? Freedom of religion. So I'd like to ask you, why is that relevant, my religion, Jim's religion, or the religious beliefs of anyone out here?" He went on to criticize Fox for making his religious heritage an issue, stating that "one of those values is freedom of religion and not making aspersions about people". This incident was then used to prompt speculation that he wanted to conceal his Jewish ancestry. The next day, Allen issued a statement confirming his mother's Jewish ancestry. Allen said his mother feared retribution against her family if her religious and ethnic background became public, and had originally asked Allen to keep that information private.
Allen speaks about his Jewish heritage
On August 19, 2010, Allen, the keynote speaker, addressed the Jewish Learning Institute’s National Jewish Retreat in Reston, Virginia. In a late August 2006 visit, Allen asked his Mother about her Portuguese and Jewish ancestry. After she revealed her Jewish ancestry, Allen described the discovery of his true roots as “interestingly positive.” In referring to Allen’s mother concealing her Jewish heritage, Allen said that “I’m proud of my family and heritage. And I wanted to learn more about it, which I have...” During World War II, Allen’s Jewish grandfather, Felix Lumbroso, was imprisoned by the Nazis for his resistance efforts in French Tunisia. Allen's middle name, Felix, honors his grandfather. Allen went on to add that:“The core principle of freedom of conscience, beliefs and religion was no longer a matter of enlightened philosophy to me; it became deeply personal in my heart-wrenching realization of how fear and persecution so tormented my loving, loyal mother’s life.”
Allen’s speech also covered his devoted interests to stop racism and anti Semitism:
“A salient lesson I learned is: when injustice or the ugly head of racism, anti-Semitism, or repression arises, leaders must deplore it. Otherwise, people may believe it to be acceptable or condoned...We need to understand that the denial of freedom and opportunity to any person anywhere is an injustice that should be intolerable to freedom-loving people everywhere”
The speech ended with a standing ovation as Allen blew the symbolic shofar, a ram’s horn used for Jewish Holy days
Views on the Confederate flag
Allen wore a Confederate flag pin for his high school senior class photo. In 1993, Allen's first statewide TV campaign ad for governor included a Confederate flag. Greg Stevens, the political consultant who made the 1993 TV ad, confirmed its inclusion. Allen has confirmed that the pin in his high school yearbook was a Confederate flag. Allen, who was observed by classmates at Palos Verdes High School driving his Ford Mustang with the Confederate flag in the front license plate frame, has said "it is possible" that he had a Confederate flag on his car in high school.Some minority groups, especially African-Americans, in Virginia criticized Allen for his policies and his embrace of the Confederate flag. Allen however claimed that the confederate flag is a symbol of southern and state heritage as Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy. Allen also opposed a separate state holiday commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. The state holiday in favor of Martin Luther King Jr. was initially attached to Lee-Jackson day, a day honoring noted Generals Robert E. Lee
Robert E. Lee
Robert Edward Lee was a career military officer who is best known for having commanded the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia in the American Civil War....
and Stonewall Jackson
Stonewall Jackson
ຄຽשת״ׇׂׂׂׂ֣|birth_place= Clarksburg, Virginia |death_place=Guinea Station, Virginia|placeofburial=Stonewall Jackson Memorial CemeteryLexington, Virginia|placeofburial_label= Place of burial|image=...
.
In 1995, 1996, and 1997, Allen proclaimed April as Confederate History and Heritage Month and called the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
"a four-year struggle for independence and sovereign rights."
On October 2, 2010, Columnist Robert McCartney of the Washington Post reported that Allen supports current Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell's plan to name April 2011 "Civil War in Virginia" month.
"Allen in a two-sentence response to my request for comment, said he agreed with McDonnell's 'decision to recognize all aspects of this pivotal and tragic time in our nation's history.' Although he didn't use the word 'slavery,' Allen indirectly welcomed the Union's victory in 1865 as an advance for liberty.
'It is vital that we understand the motivations, lives and deaths of the men and women of every background, race and social status who were part of this important struggle to fulfill the words of the Declaration of Independence, that all men and women should enjoy the freedom and rights given to them by God,' Allen said."
While serving in the Senate, Allen played a minor role as a Confederate
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
officer in the 2003 film Gods and Generals
Gods and Generals (film)
Gods and Generals is a 2003 American film based on the novel Gods and Generals by Jeffrey Shaara. It depicts events that take place prior to those shown in the 1993 film Gettysburg, which was based on The Killer Angels, a novel by Shaara's father, Michael...
, a movie that included many cameo
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
s of politicians such as Senator Robert Byrd
Robert Byrd
Robert Carlyle Byrd was a United States Senator from West Virginia. A member of the Democratic Party, Byrd served as a U.S. Representative from 1953 until 1959 and as a U.S. Senator from 1959 to 2010...
and former Senator Phil Gramm
Phil Gramm
William Philip "Phil" Gramm is an American economist and politician, who has served as a Democratic Congressman , a Republican Congressman and a Republican Senator from Texas...
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1329758/. His role included singing "The Bonnie Blue Flag
The Bonnie Blue Flag
"The Bonnie Blue Flag", also known as "We Are a Band of Brothers", is an 1861 marching song associated with the Confederate States of America. The words were written by Irish born entertainer Harry McCarthy, with the melody taken from the song "The Irish Jaunting Car"...
".
Allen's sister's memoir
In 2000, Allen's younger sister Jennifer Allen Richard wrote in her memoir Fifth Quarter: The Scrimmage of a Football Coach's Daughter (Random HouseRandom House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
Publishing, 2000) that Allen sometimes violently attacked his younger siblings and his sister's boyfriend during his childhood.
In May 2006, Richard qualified some of the claims made in the book. She stated that the book was a "novelization of the past" and written from the perspective of a young girl "surrounded by older brothers and a larger-than-life father." She states that she has a good relationship with her brother and noted that Allen stepped in for their father to walk her down the aisle at her wedding.
2008 Presidential election
Prior to his loss to Webb in the November 2006 senatorial election, Allen had traveled a number of times to IowaIowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
(the first state with a presidential caucus
Iowa caucus
The Iowa caucuses are an electoral event in which residents of the U.S. state of Iowa meet in precinct caucuses in all of Iowa's 1784 precincts and elect delegates to the corresponding county conventions. There are 99 counties in Iowa and thus 99 conventions...
) and New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
(the first state with a presidential primary
New Hampshire primary
The New Hampshire primary is the first in a series of nationwide political party primary elections held in the United States every four years , as part of the process of choosing the Democratic and Republican nominees for the presidential elections to be held the subsequent November.Although only a...
). He had been widely assumed to be preparing a run for president.
In a survey of 175 Washington insiders by National Journal
National Journal
National Journal is a nonpartisan American weekly magazine that reports on the current political environment and emerging political and policy trends. National Journal was first published in 1969. Times Mirror owned the magazine from 1986 to 1997, when it was purchased by David G. Bradley...
, released in April 2005, Allen was the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the 2008 presidential election. In an insider survey by National Journal a year later, in May 2006, Allen had dropped to second place, and John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
held a 3-to-1 lead over Allen.
After the November 2006 election, it was widely assumed that Allen was no longer a viable candidate for the Republican nomination, principally because of the damage caused by the incidents that caused his double-digit lead in the polls to turn to a narrow defeat that contributed to the Republicans' loss of control of the Senate.
On December 10, 2006, Allen gave an interview in which he stated that he would not seek the 2008 nomination.
Activities between campaigns
In March 2007, Allen became a ReaganRonald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Scholar with Young America's Foundation
Young America's Foundation
Young America's Foundation is a conservative youth organization, founded in 1969, with a focus on sharing conservative ideas with students through conferences, campus lectures, seminars, posters, and activism initiatives.-History:...
. He is also the President of George Allen Strategies, a lobbying and consulting firm based in Alexandria
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, Virginia, and leads the American Energy Freedom Center, a conservative think tank affiliated with the Institute for Energy Research
Institute for Energy Research
The Institute for Energy Research , is a Houston, Texas-based company that conducts intensive research and analysis on the functions, operations, and government regulation of global energy markets....
. He is also writing a book entitled The Triumph of Character: What Washington Can Learn From the World of Sports.
In October 2007, the campaign of GOP presidential candidate Fred Thompson announced that Allen was one of three national co-chairs for the campaign. That month, Allen declined to speculate on his political future. Commenting on the 2009 governor's race in Virginia
Virginia gubernatorial election, 2009
The Virginia gubernatorial election of 2009 took place on November 3, 2009. The election chose Bob McDonnell as the next Governor, Bill Bolling re-elected as Lieutenant Governor, and Ken Cuccinelli as the next Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia. The winners were inaugurated on January...
, Allen not only said that he had made no decisions but that "Susan and I have listened to a lot of people encouraging us to do that." On January 8, 2008, Allen said that he would not run for governor in 2009, but later left open the possibility of challenging Democratic Senator Webb in 2012.
On May 25, 2010, Regnery Press published Allen's first book, "What Washington Can Learn From the World of Sports", in which he draws parallels and contrasts between two of the nation’s favorite passions. Allen suggests that government need look no further than the football field, baseball diamond, or basketball court to solve today’s pressing problems because, in sports, teamwork is essential, cheating is frowned upon and the rules don’t change.
2012 Senate campaign
On January 24, 2011, Allen officially announced his intention to run for the Republican nomination through a video on his campaign website. He is seeking to reclaim the U.S. Senate seat held by Senator Jim WebbJim Webb
James Henry "Jim" Webb, Jr. is the senior United States Senator from Virginia. He is also an author and a former Secretary of the Navy. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
, who defeated Allen in 2006. As of January 2011, the only other announced candidate was Virginia Tea Party leader Jamie Radtke
Jamie Radtke
-Personal background:Radtke is a resident of Chesterfield County, Virginia. She graduated from Liberty University in 1995 and was awarded a Master of Public Policy from The College of William & Mary in 1998....
. Reaction to his announcement was immediate, Lowell Feld, publisher of the progressive Blue Virginia blog, called him "Felix Macacawitz," a reference to the "macaca controversy" that doomed his previous run for Senate. Senator Webb said that he "doesn't care" what Allen is doing in preparation for his campaign. He later announced he was not running for reelection.
External links
- Personal website
- Who Is George Allen, Anyway? – NewsweekNewsweekNewsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
Oct. 2, 2006 - 2004 campaign finance data from Open SecretsOpen SecretsOpen Secrets is a book of short stories by Alice Munro published by McClelland and Stewart in 1994. It was nominated for the 1994 Governor General's Award for English Fiction.-Stories:* "Carried Away"* "A Real Life"...
- George Allen on the Issues
Archival Records
- Archived Web Site of George Allen for U.S. Senate, 2006 part of Virginia Statewide Election Campaign Websites, 2006 at Virginia Memory
- A Guide to the Executive Office Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1993–1998 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Policy Office Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1993–1998 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Press Office Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1993–1998 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Liaison Office Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1994–1998 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Executive Mansion and First Lady's Event Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1994–1997 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Scheduling Office Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1993–1998 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Transition Office Briefing Records of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1997–1998 at The Library of Virginia
- A Guide to the Working Papers of Virginia Governor George F. Allen, 1994–1997 at The Library of Virginia