Free Republic

On Oct. 1, The Post ran a Page 1 story about a temporary Pentagon assignment given a retired Air Force officer by a defense contractor. On Oct. 14, the officer, Lt. Col. Charles Riechers, was found dead, apparently a suicide. On Oct. 17, the Air Force complained about the story. The suicide of someone featured in a critical story is first a family's tragedy but also a journalist's nightmare. The story's author, business investigative reporter Robert O'Harrow Jr., expressed deep sadness at Riechers's death and the family's loss. O'Harrow wrote that Riechers went to work for Commonwealth Research Institute, a...

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force's No. 2 acquisition official, facing scrutiny for a temporary job arranged by the service while he awaited Senate confirmation, was found dead at his home in an apparent suicide, according to an internal Air Force memo obtained by Reuters on Monday. "Mr. Riechers was found deceased in his home, cause of death appears to be suicide, time of death is unknown," said the memo, which was issued late Sunday. Charles Riechers became the principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition at the Air Force in January 2007 after working two months for defense contractor...

WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 — The Air Force’s No. 2 acquisition official was found dead at his home on Sunday of an apparent suicide, Air Force and police officials said today. The official, Charles D. Riechers, 47, came under scrutiny by the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month after the disclosure that he received $13,400 a month working for a defense contractor, Commonwealth Research Institute, in a job arranged by the Air Force before the Senate confirmed him for the senior Air Force position. Mr. Riechers became the principal deputy assistant secretary for acquisition at the Air Force in January....