The hanging of Bill Sparkman

What happened

The FBI is investigating the death of U.S. Census worker Bill Sparkman, 51, whose body was found hanging near a Kentucky cemetery with the word "fed" scrawled on his chest. The Census suspended door-to-door interviews in the rural area while investigators tried to determine whether the death was a killing or a suicide, and if a killing, whether the motive was anti-government sentiment. (Associated Press)

What the commentators said

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"This certainly seems like something committed by a person with an anti-government bone to pick," said Doug Mataconis in Below the Beltway. But there's no evidence yet to suggest that's true, so nobody should jump to conclusions.

"My immediate curiosity is whether this had something to do with a moonshine or drug operation," said Robert Stacy McCain in The Other McCain, "rather than 'anti-government sentiment.'" Drug dealers don't like to have people snooping around—and that's what Census workers do. So wait before you swallow "any kind of politicized 'Let's Blame Glenn Beck' speculation."

The FBI will have to answer the question of whether "anti-government sentiment" had anything to do with Bill Sparkman's death, said Shannon Bell in Right Pundits. "One can only hope that this isolated incident will not result in those who speak out against the government being lumped in with a killer."