Allison's bank BB&T was one of the banks forced to take a TARP bailout. Allison said that his bank had avoided the bad government mortgage market and was not damaged by the crash, didn't need the money, didn't want it, and didn't think it was proper. He had to take it because he was called into a Treasury meeting with several other bankers who were told what they were going to do in a show of 'unity' with the government. When he tried to reject the bailout he was threatened with regulators "finding" problems with his operations -- there are so many overlapping and contradictory laws and restrictions that they can always find something to get someone with when they want to and the chilling threat was very explicit. He paid it all back as soon as he was allowed to.

After Allison retired became head of CATO and is still on their board of directors. He was also on the board of directors of the Ayn Rand Institute. While at BB&T he openly advocated and applied Ayn Rand's principles, which he credits for his success. He has also helped fund Objectivist scholars in universities. He made news by refusing loans for money that would be used for eminent domain. He would not be well received by the Treasury Dept. and obviously has major differences with Trump's fascistic view of government and business, including eminent domain.

His entire career and climb to prominence was via the banking cartel. What a surprise that the hand that fed him favored their insider NY-beltway-ivy league pals over a southern based banker. That has been the case since the 1830s.
Despite that, I say he deserves a chance to prove he has changed and to deliver on free markets in banking and asset based US currency.

What exactly did he do during his career that violated Objectivist principles? Simply being a banker does not make one evil, anymore than being a public school teacher is evil because that teacher's career is via the government school monopoly.

Allison's career was not in a "cartel". Banking is a legitimate, important profession. He successfully ran a bank following proper principles.

We live in a mixed economy. Government intervenes in and adversely affects every profession. It doesn't mean that no honest, productive work is done and it doesn't mean that we are all scoundrels in a "cartel". If no creative, productive work was being done and everyone was a thief the economy would have collapsed long ago instead of expanding with investment in creativity. Allison was successful in spite of the corruption, not because of it.

He's only being considered, isn't he? Does he even want it? Could he personally tolerate the sewer trying to contend with the entrenched mentality there?

Can't see anything in your comment that deserved a downvote, chad. So +1.
Seems like someone can't stand to hear differing opinions based on reason. I thought this would cease after the election, but it hasn't.