CONGRESSWOMAN TO CONSTITUENT: YOU'RE AN ASS

The letter from Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, a Republican from southern Missouri, to Bill Jones of Centerville was sent out in February. It's apparently a routine missive, but it ends with this line:

I think you're an asshole.

The Associated Press reports:

Emerson says she can't explain how the offensive language made it into the last line of the letter, which otherwise reads like a typical response to a citizen's question about last year's testimony of oil executives before the Senate Commerce Committee.

"There is no excuse for this inappropriate letter having been sent, and every apology has been made to the individual who received it," Emerson said in a written statement to The Associated Press.

"We cannot determine whether the addition to the letter was made by someone within the office or by someone with access to the office, but it is on my letterhead and the responsibility for it lies with me. A valuable lesson has been learned and new procedures will be adopted as a result."

Yeah, sure, someone having fun in Emerson's office, adding an insult to a constituent letter. The queer part, however, comes in the last line of the AP story:

Emerson personally signed the letter, dated Feb. 15. She also included a handwritten personal message at the bottom: "PS - please forgive the delay in responding."

Well, it's harder to forgive someone who calls you an asshole.