Conservative publisher Andrew Breitbart died early this morning at the age of 43. Msnbc's Chuck Todd reports.
By msnbc.com
Andrew Breitbart, the conservative firebrand and web publisher, has died, according to his Big Government website.
In a brief post, the site said he died at age 43 of natural causes.
His death was confirmed to msnbc.com by the Los Angeles Coroner's Office.
According to the Associated Press, Breitbart was walking near his house in the Brentwood neighborhood shortly after midnight Thursday when he collapsed, his father-in-law Orson Bean said.
Someone saw him fall and called paramedics, who tried to revive him. They rushed him to the emergency room at UCLA Medical Center, Bean said.
Breitbart had suffered heart problems a year earlier, but Bean said he could not pinpoint what happened.
"I don't know what to say. It's devastating," Bean told The Associated Press. He is survived by his wife Susannah Bean Breitbart, 41, and four children.
Breitbart, in addition to publishing a number of websites devoted to repudiating what he saw as the liberal-dominated coverage of politics and culture, once served as an editor for the Drudge Report and helped Arianna Huffington launch the Huffington Post website.
One of Breitbart's notable efforts was the controversial investigations that led to the resignations of former Rep. Anthony Weiner and former Agriculture Department official Shirley Sherrod. Last year, Sherrod brought a legal action for defamation against Breitbart.
In addition to his web properties, Breitbart was also very active on Twitter, where he often retweeted criticism from some of his harshest critics. The last tweet from his account was from late Wednesday.
Following news of his death, Breitbart's name shot to the top of Twitter trends.
In addition, a number of Republican lawmakers tweeted their sympathies.
- Eric Cantor @EricCantor I'm stunned to hear about the passing of Andrew Breitbart. My thoughts and prayers are with his wife Susie, his children, and his friends
- Thaddeus McCotter @ThadMcCotter Good by & God bless, Brother Andrew. You are loved & mourned & ever remembered. biggovernment.com/lsolov/2012/03…
- Herman Cain @THEHermanCain I admired @AndrewBreitbart's fighting spirit. Thoughts & Prayers to his family. He was my friend & I will miss him #RIP
- Rep Blake Farenthold (R-TX) @farenthold RIP Andrew Breitbart your conservative voice will be missed and your family is in my prayers.
