Apparent suicide at Freddie Mac

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21592_Page2.html

David Kellermann, the acting chief financial officer of the troubled Freddie Mac mortgage company, is the latest example of a particular — and particularly macabre — subset of human tragedy: the Washington suicide. 

After today's tragic news, however, the most controversial comments are likely to be those that came well before Kellermann's apparent suicide. 

In the wake of the AIG bonus scandal, Senate Finance Committee ranking member Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said of executives at that bailed out firm, "I would suggest the first thing that would make me feel a little bit better toward them if they'd follow the Japanese example and come before the American people and take that deep bow and say, 'I'm sorry,' and then either do one of two things: resign or go commit suicide." 

After the comment provoked intense criticism, Grassley dismissed it as simply heated rhetoric and not a literal suggestion that financial executives kill themselves. 

Grassley spokeswoman Jill Kozeny said Wednesday, "Senator Grassley expressed sympathy today for any family dealing with the tragedy of suicide. He appreciates from his own family history how painful suicide can be."