"It's not about nailing Bill Allen. It's about protecting young women.

Sen. Lisa Murkowski has been trying to get a good explanation for why federal prosecutors decided not to pursue a teen sex crimes case against the former Veco president, who just finished a prison sentence for his role in Alaska's political corruption scandal.

Attorney Gen. Eric Holder has assured the senator that federal prosecutors made their decision not according to any deal with Allen but according to the merits of the case. In effect, Holder is saying, "Trust us."

With all due respect, and given the track record of prosecutorial misconduct in the corruption trials, we prefer "trust, but verify.""

Get the Story:
Our view: Investigate Allen charges (The Anchorage Daily News 11/30)

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