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politics and politicians Title: Suicide at Missouri auditor’s office is second in a month A top Missouri political aide has died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound — one month after his boss also took his life with a gun, police said Monday. State auditor’s spokesman Robert “Spence” Jackson was found dead Sunday night inside his Jefferson City apartment by police responding to concerns of a relative that he wasn’t answering the phone. Authorities said they are investigating the case as a suicide. Jackson’s demise follows the death of his former boss, Auditor Tom Schweich, who shot himself in the head on Feb. 26 inside his home in Clayton. Schweich had been running for the Republican nomination for governor and was about to go public with complaints that a GOP rival was spreading word that he was Jewish. Schweich, who identified himself as a Christian, believed rivals — led by Missouri Republican Party chairman John Hancock — were unleashing an anti-Semitic whisper campaign against him. Jackson was among the first of Schweich’s allies to demand Hancock’s resignation from the top party post. Hancock has denied making anti-Semitic remarks but admitted telling people he thought, mistakenly, that Schweich was Jewish. Jackson remained with the Auditor’s Office after Schweich’s death. “The initial investigation gives detectives reason to believe this is most likely a suicide,” Jefferson City police Capt. Doug Shoemaker told reporters on Monday. “There were no signs of forced entry nor any signs of a struggle. There was one firearm found at the apartment. A revolver and one spent round were recovered.” Police also found a note from Jackson, but Shoemaker declined to elaborate. It wasn’t immediately clear what connections, if any, linked the two suicides. Asked if Jackson’s death had any direct ties to Schweich’s, Shoemaker said: “No, not at this point.” “We are looking at this clearly, at this point, at least a suicide investigation,” Shoemaker added. “We are very well (informed about) the political issues (surrounding this case).” The 44-year-old Jackson previously worked as a spokesman for former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt. The former Show Me State chief executive said he and his wife were crushed to hear the tragic news. “Melanie and I are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Spence Jackson who was a good friend for many years,” Blunt said in a prepared statement. “Spence was a gifted communicator who dedicated his talents in public affairs to public service.” Cops showed up at Jackson’s apartment at 7 p.m. Sunday after a loved one said he hadn’t been answering phone calls. The property manager gave cops a key and Jackson was found dead in his bedroom. Jackson was Schweich’s media point man for nearly four years.
Poster Comment: Something fishy going on in Missouri.
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