Democrat Ted Strickland caught on tape joking Justice Antonin Scalia died 'at a good time'

As American politicians are rapidly proving this week, some jokes are just better left unsaid. That is certainly the case for former Ohio Gov. and Democratic Senate candidate Ted Strickland, who joked to AFL-CIO members on Monday that conservative Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia's death came "at a good time."

Strickland was apparently referring to a 4-4 tie in a March Supreme Court case, one of the first following Scalia's death. As a result of the tie, public-sector unions are able to continue to collect fees from workers who chose not to join — that money is relied on as a major financial lifeline. Scalia had appeared to side with conservatives who wanted to overturn the case prior to his unexpected death.

"I don't wish anyone ill, but it happened at a good time because once that decision had been made, it would have been tough to reverse it," Strickland went on as people laughed.

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When reached for comment by the Washington Examiner, Strickland apologized for the joke. "That was an insensitive remark and I apologize," he said.