Our View: The Allen case

Federal silence led Alaskans to suspect -- or simply conclude -- that Allen and the feds had made a deal for his testimony against some of those he bribed and against the late U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens in a separate case. The deal? Testimony against the accused in the political corruption cases in return for no charges under the Mann Act, a federal law that prohibits transporting anyone across state lines for prostitution, with stiffer penalties if the person is a minor.

You don't trade justice for the young victims of sexual predation -- no matter if they were working as prostitutes, no matter they're 15, 16, or 17 -- to get political corruption convictions. You don't use the girls as leverage to force testimony -- in effect, exploiting them again. Is that what happened here? Sure looks like it.

Attorney General Eric Holder assured Sen. Lisa Murkowski there was no such deal. Murkowski wasn't satisfied. Neither were many Alaskans.

So the state looked at the case and tried to pursue it. State prosecutor Richard Svobodny said the state couldn't find corroborating evidence that five or so girls had sex with Allen at age 15 -- in Alaska, 16 generally is the legal age for consensual sex.

So the state sought federal help and asked to be designated by the feds to pursue the Mann Act case. The feds refused, even when state prosecutor Richard Svobodny traveled to Washington to make the plea in person.

Murkowski should raise hell again. So should Gov. Sean Parnell, who has made a campaign against sexual assault and domestic violence. So should Sen Mark Begich and Rep. Don Young. They should all demand justice for these young Alaskans.

Yes, Allen is presumed innocent until convicted of any charges. And yes, he just finished a three-year prison sentence. But that doesn't mean he should get to walk away from the abuse case with no word as to why.

Justice still demands that the Department of Justice either explain its decision to drop the case, reverse that decision or let the state pursue it.

BOTTOM LINE: Another example of justice undone in Alaska corruption case.