Rep. Ted Lieu (D., Calif.) sent out a tweet on Thursday night insinuating something was suspicious about the death of former Republican operative Peter Smith.
Smith committed suicide a few days after he spoke with the Wall Street Journal about trying to obtain former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's emails from Russian hackers during the 2016 presidential election.
The Chicago Tribune reported that Smith was found with a bag over his head with a source of Helium attached. A note was recovered that stated, "NO FOUL PLAY WHATSOEVER." He committed suicided on May 14, ten days after he gave an interview to the Wall Street Journal.
Lieu tweeted that the situation is "awfully suspicious."
You don't need to be a prosecutor to know that someone writing NO FOUL PLAY WHATSOEVER in connection with a death seems awfully suspicious.
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) July 14, 2017
Lieu appeared to insinuate that Smith was murdered without providing any evidence.
Law enforcement officials said they didn't expect foul play. The note that was recovered from Smith cited recent health problems.
It was reported that the note stated, "RECENT BAD TURN IN HEALTH SINCE JANUARY, 2017" and timing related "TO LIFE INSURANCE OF $5 MILLION EXPIRING." A nearby hospital where Smith was suspected of being a patient declined to comment whether Smith was a patient, citing medical privacy laws.