Former U.S. Sen. John Danforth has suggested that political bullying led Missouri Auditor Tom Schweich (shwyk) to fatally shoot himself.
Danforth delivered the eulogy Tuesday during a memorial service for Schweich that was attended by many of Missouri's top elected officials and hundreds of others.
Danforth was a close friend, co-worker and political mentor to Schweich, who had planned to run for governor.
Danforth says Schweich was upset about a negative radio ad that mocked his appearance and distraught by what he perceived as an anti-Semitic whispering campaign against him. Schweich was Christian, but had some Jewish ancestry.
Danforth said: "Words do hurt. Words can kill."
