The brash and outspoken blogger and commentator was the center of several major news websites.
Conservative activist Andrew Breitbart, an influential voice in US Republican politics known for his attacks on liberals and Democrats, died unexpectedly of natural causes in Los Angeles early on Thursday, his family said.
He was 43. The brash and outspoken blogger and commentator, who published politically inspired photos and undercover videos, was the center of several major news websites, including www.Breitbart.tv, www.breitbart.com and www.biggovernment.com. Breitbart was walking last night near his Los Angeles home when he collapsed, said his father-in-law, actor Orson Bean.
"He collapsed on the sidewalks and the paramedics were there very quickly and they couldn't revive him," Bean told Reuters.
Bean, 83, said that he was told by his daughter at around 1:30 am that Breitbart had died. He said that he did not know if Breitbart had any heart troubles. "We were very close so I think if he had I would have known," Bean said.
"We have lost a husband, a father, a son, a brother, a dear friend, a patriot and a happy warrior. Andrew lived boldly, so that we more timid souls would dare to live freely and fully, and fight for the fragile liberty he showed us how to love," a memorial page on his websites said.
The page said Breitbart "passed away unexpectedly from natural causes." Breitbart was notorious for his fiery opinions. The last posts from his Twitter feed appear to have come just moments before midnight, with one calling a user a "putz" and another replying "Apologize for WHAT?" to another user. His work played a role in a number of prominent news stories in recent years, including undercover videos of the community group ACORN and the texting scandal of former Democratic US Representative Anthony Weiner of New York.
"Andrew's death is a shock & huge loss. His courage should be an example to us all," Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum said via Twitter.
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