Bill Sparkman, a part-time Census field worker in Kentucky, was found hanging from a tree in a Clay County cemetery with the words “fed” scrawled across his chest.

FBI spokesman David Beyer said the bureau is helping state police with the case.

“Our job is to determine if there was foul play involved — and that’s part of the investigation — and if there was foul play involved, whether that is related to his employment as a census worker,” said Beyer.

Beyer declined to confirm or discuss any details about the crime scene.

Lucindia Scurry-Johnson, assistant director of the Census Bureau’s southern office in Charlotte, N.C., said law enforcement officers have told the agency the matter is “an apparent homicide” but nothing else.

Census employees were told Sparkman’s truck was found nearby, and a computer he was using for work was found inside it, she said. He worked part-time for the Census, usually conducting interviews once or twice a month.

Video below is from Sept. 15, before details of Sparkman’s death were released…

It’s certainly to early to say whether growing anti-government resentment played a role in this “apparent homicide.” Clay County is part of the fifth district of Kentucky which happens to be one of the poorest in the nation. The region has been led by Republicans for decades, and is currently represented by Harold Rogers (R).

It is curious however that the body was found on Sept 12, 2009, tea party day. And folks like Glenn Beck and Rep. Michelle Bachman are heroes of that movement, aren’t exactly fans of the Census either… as in the clip below:

Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and others testified today before the House Education and Labor Committee in support of ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Clips including opening statement by Chairman George Miller are below:

In a recent poll conducted by Daily Kos/ Research2000, Maine voters chose to overturn gay marriage by a slim 48%-46% with a margin of error of plus or minus 4 points. Voters were asked the question:

As you may know there will be one question on the ballot this November in Maine addressing the issue of same-sex unions. In part it will read “Do you want to reject the new law that lets same-sex couples marry?” A yes vote takes away the right of same-sex couples to marry. A no vote keeps the right of same-sex couples to marry. If the election were held today would you vote YES or NO on this question?

Results below:

Marc Muty, chairman of Stand for Marriage Maine which supports overturning marriage equality responded to the numbers:

“The poll results will likely galvanize our opponents to continue to call us fear-mongoring liars, even as legal scholars and other experts in the field — including some in our opponent’s own camp — independently raise the serious negative effects and conflicts inherent in legalizing homosexual marriage … As our opponents continue to duck the real issues of the campaign in favor of name-calling, and independent experts substantiate our claims about the negative consequences of LD 1020 becoming law, we have every confidence that we will win the hearts and minds of Mainers on November 3rd.”

Unfortunately, it’s starting to feel like California to me…

And it’s a dud. Reminiscent of some of the lamer ads by the folks who brought us Prop 8, this new television spot uses the same old tired and debunked arguments: gay marriage taught in schools, churches losing their tax exempt status and lawsuits aplenty. Hopefully Mainers won’t fall for it, like they did here in California.