From AllHatNoCattle.com: "'The Okaloosa/Walton medical examiner will be out of the job he's held the last six years. Dr. Michael Berkland has been dismissed by the Medical Examiner's Office in Pensacola. The Florida Medical Examiner's Commission had complained of his failure to complete dozens of autopsy reports in 2001 and 2002, a violation of state statutes' [WEAR TV, Pensacola]... Did the Coroner who will replace dismissed coroner break campaign donation laws? Dr. Gary Cumberland and spouse possibly gave more than the legal $1000 limit to Joe Scarborough... Dr. Cumberland is replacing the recently dismissed medical examiner, Dr. Michael Berkland who preformed the autopsy on Lori Klausutis, the dead aide found in Joe Scarborough's office."

From the Daily Dystopian blog: "Conservative MSNBC news host Joe Scarborough was a guest on MSNBC's Imus show last Thursday, May 29. In complementing Scarborough on his sense of humor, Imus said, 'Don't be afraid to be funny, because you are funny. I asked you why you aren't in Congress. You said that you had sex with the intern and then you had to kill her.' To which Scarborough laughed, 'Yeah, ha, ha ha, well, what are you gonna do?'" As the Political Amazon (politicalamazon.com) wrote us, Lori "Klausutis is the Scarborough intern who was found dead in Scarborough's Fort Walton Beach office on July 21, 2001. At the same time that cable news shows on Fox and MSNBC were hounding Democratic Rep. Gary Condit over the disappearance of Chandra Levy... Scarborough appears to have been granted a free pass... Regardless of whether Scarborough actually murdered Lori Klaustis, his casual joking about her death is inexcusable." Send complaints to viewerservices@msnbc.com

Jackson Thoreau writes: "Did anyone else object to seeing former Florida Republican Congressman Joe Scarborough - the Reps' answer to Gary Condit - on MSNBC's Hardball Tuesday as a party debate member against a Democratic Congresswoman from California on Iraq? That's like the Democrats putting up fellow accused adulterer and former California Congressman Gary Condit. Since Scarborough was forced to resign his seat in 2001 after an alleged extramarital affair with aide Lori Klausutis, who was found dead in his office with a major head injury...Scarborough has found a good living as a Republican media whore on Hardball and other shows. Bush even appointed him to the Resident's Council on the 21st Century Workforce, where he serves with Labor Secretary Chao. Meanwhile, Condit, whose mistress at least did not die in his office and was never linked to her disappearance, has been exiled, probably never to be heard from again. Does anyone besides me see the hypocrisy in this treatment?"

Rep. Joe Scarborough, whose 28-year-old aide Lori Klausutis was found dead in July, is in the process of quitting Congress to "spend more time with his family." His unusual mid-term resignation led to a special election, starting with a primary on July 24. Once again, the winner (State Rep. Jeff Miller) was "selected" by - you guessed it - Jeb Bush and Katherine Harris. Only this time, they screwed a bunch of competing Republican candidates, who refuse to get over it. Rev. David Reddick, a right-wing pastor and talk show host, has filed a lawsuit, and other candidates may follow. It just goes to show - there IS no honor among thieves.

Official reports of the death of Lori Klausutis, the 28-year-old aide to Joe Scarborough, have been contradictory and suspicious. Initial reports said there were no signs of trauma; the autopsy reported a "scratch and a bruise" where Lori's head hit her desk, a fact which was initially concealed by the medical examiner because "The last thing we wanted was 40 questions about a head injury." Then we learned the examiner, Michael Berkland, had his license revoked in Missouri in 1998, and suspended for six years in Florida in 1999. Now the Fort Walton Beach police are refusing to release reports about Lori's death, citing an "open investigation." Do the police believe Lori was murdered? The Northwest Florida Daily News wants to know - and so do we.

Medical Examiner Michael Berkland concluded that Joe Scarborough's aide Lori Klausutis died as a result of a blow to the head because an undiagnosed heart condition caused her to collapse and fall, hitting her head on the desk. But Berkland's credibility is in doubt because his Missouri license was revoked in 1998 for falsifying a report; after moving to Florida, his license was suspended in 1999 for SIX years! Moreover, there appear to be inconsistencies in Berkland's report. Reporters Denis Wright and Chris George of American Politics Journal are seeking answers from Dr. Stephen Nelson, Chair of the Medical Examiners Commission, an appointee of - you guessed it! - Jeb Bush.

The Northwest Florida Daily News is the ONLY media outlet reporting on the mysterious death of Lori Klausutis, Joe Scarborough's healthy young aide. "An autopsy and blood tests have not revealed why 28-year-old Lori Klausutis died, Associate Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Berkland said Friday. Nothing in the blood tests showed how Klausutis died seven days ago, Berkland said. The autopsy also was not conclusive, though the medical examiner did say that there was no evidence of foul play... Berkland said the next step in determining the cause of Klausutis' death will be to examine and run tests on tissue samples under the microscope... Berkland could not speculate Friday about when further examinations would be complete or when a cause of death might be established." Many of you have written the media to demand coverage of this unreported story - keep up the effort!

"Six days after the 28-year-old aide to U.S. Rep. Joe Scarborough was found dead inside the congressman's Fort Walton Beach office, local police are still waiting to learn how and why [Lisa] Klausutis died. 'We are waiting on a report from the medical examiner,' said Fort Walton Beach Police Chief Steve Hogue. Berkland said last Saturday that he would likely be able to announce the cause of Klausutis' death by Wednesday, after receiving the results of blood toxicology tests. But Berkland was out of town for a conference on Wednesday. On Thursday, even though assistants in Berkland's Fort Walton Beach and Pensacola offices said he had returned to the area, Berkland did not return repeated telephone calls." Why has this story received NO coverage from all-Condit-all-the-time networks? Could it be because Scarborough is a Republican? Start calling and writing the media to demand coverage of the death of Lori Klausutis!

"ConditLevyConditLevyConditLevyConditConditLevyConditLevy..." and that concludes tonight's news.... But wait! What's that we hear under the ConditLevy din? A female aide DIED in Joe Scarborough's office? No one knows how or why? What's that - the medical examiner Michael Berkland refuses to disclose any details? What's that about a toxicology report? And what's that about Scarborough, who ran as an UNCONTESTED CANDIDATE in his district, suddenly deciding to resign from his office just a few weeks before the attractive 28-year-old's death? What do you have to say about that, NBC, ABC, CNN, NY Times, Washington Post? "ConditLevyConditLevyConditLevyConditLevyConditLevy." That's what we thought you'd say!

A young REPUBLICAN Congressional staffer, 28-year-old Lori Klausutis, was found dead in Rep. Joe Scarborough's (R-FL) office in Fort Walton Beach early Friday morning. Our hearts go out to Lori's family - but difficult questions must be asked. According to friend Mary Potthast, "'She was always sweet, bubbly, caring and considerate,' said Potthast, who had known Klausutis for almost four years. Potthast said Klausutis, an avid runner who frequently competed in races with the Northwest Florida Track Club, was 'the picture of health.'" What caused her death? "There is no evidence at all that this was an intentional act, but we can't rule it out just yet," said the medical examiner. Well then, EVERY possibility must be examined. "Scarborough... could not be reached for additional comment Saturday after expressing regrets about Klausutis' death the day before." Under the circumstances, Scarborough must be questioned by the police. Why is the media not reporting this possible murder?

After 7 years in office, Rep. Joe Scarborough (R-FL), a single father of two will leave Congress. Although Scarborough says his concern for his children has prompted his decision and his seat will probably be filled by another Republican, the timing of the announcement - the day after James Jeffords' historic exit from the GOP -is too poignant (we think) to be coincidence. Is Scarborough hoping to send a message to the hardline "new" Republicans that it's time for some moderation? If so, we applaud you, Joe!