National Taxpayers Union President John Berthoud, praised as "the happy warrior of fiscal conservatism," died Thursday. He was 47 45.
Mr. Berthoud, who had headed NTU since 1997, was found in his Arlington home Thursday morning by two NTU employees after he failed to show up for work, a spokesman for the organization said. He appeared to have died of natural causes, said Pete Sepp, vice president for communications at NTU.
"He shaped our entire culture and mission at NTU," Mr. Sepp said, reporting that NTU had received "hundreds of e-mails and telephone calls not only from the Washington area but from around the country" sending condolences on Mr. Berthoud's passing.
Mr. Berthoud was a "great guy" who "stood up for taxpayers in a town that views taxpayers as chumps," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform.
Mr. Berthoud served on the board of directors of the American Conservative Union. "I am in shock and unable to gather any thoughts other than John was a wonderful friend and conservative colleague," said ACU Executive Vice President J. William Lauderback. "His absence from the conservative movement will be profoundly felt."
John Berlau, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at the Competitive Enterprise Institute, noted that Mr. Berthoud worked closely with grassroots activists.
"John was the happy warrior of fiscal conservatism," said Mr. Berlau, who was a reporter for Insight magazine when he first met Mr. Berthoud. "He always made sure to take the message of low taxes and limited government beyond the Beltway. ... He made networking with state policy groups a priority and influenced others to follow in his footsteps in this area. John will be sorely missed, but his positive influence will be long felt."
Mr. Berthoud is survived by his mother and two brothers. Plans for a memorial service will be announced later, Mr. Sepp said.
Will update later with more details. Meanwhile, Mr. Berthoud's friends are memorializing him on his Facebook page.
-- Robert Stacy McCain, assistant national editor, The Washington Times
UPDATE 2:30 a.m. Friday:
Blog tributes to Mr. Berthoud accumulated as news of his death spread among free-market activists. By midnight, there were 22 responses to Elizabeth Terrell's blog post at NTU's Government Bytes blog.
Mr. Berthoud's obituary is on Page A9 of Friday's final edition of The Washington Times. (The photo is by Doug DeMark, courtesy of the Capital Research Center, and shows DonorsTrust executive director Whitney Ball and NTU development director Sara Salupo talking to Mr. Berthoud.)
FreedomWorks, the Tax Foundation, and Free Republic were among the organizations noting Mr. Berthoud's passing.
Amy Ridenour of the National Center for Public Policy Research said:
I don't want to post anything else on the blog this evening until I note with sadness the death of John Berthoud. ...At Red State, Mike Krempasky wrote:
He was always willing to lend a hand; often, he was one of the very first to volunteer to assist coalition efforts. His name came up in office conversations often. I do not recall hearing a negative word about him; not even once.
If you asked around DC long enough, you'd learn that "leading a significant conservative organization" does not necessarily equal, "folks I'd love to have a drink with" - but John Berthoud would prove the exception to that rule.Those comments were echoed Thursday night by David Kirby of the America's Future Foundation. During a brief interview at Blue Gin, where AFF was hosting a party to celebrate the screening of "Weirdsville," Mr. Kirby recalled socializing with Mr. Berthoud at the most recent Conservative Political Action Conference.
"He was a fun guy," said Mr. Kirby, mentioning that he had spoken to Mr. Berthoud at Wednesday's premiere of "The Call of the Entrepreneur."
"He was talking about his party Saturday -- 'Are you going to be there?' " Mr. Kirby said. More than 100 guests had already RSVP'd for the party Mr. Berthoud was planning to host Saturday at his home in Arlington. "The party runs from 7:00 until you leave," the invitation had said. Some of his friends were talking of a memorial party Saturday in his honor.
Meanwhile, at Mr. Berthoud's Facebook page, the tributes poured in from across the country. Drew Johnson wrote:
Thank you for giving me a chance to do what I love. Without you, there would be no Tennessee Center for Policy Research.Ken Shepherd of the Media Research Center wrote:
I'm shocked and saddened. John's family and friends and the NTU folks are in my prayers. May he rest in peace.Nathan Tabor of the Conservative Voice wrote:
I'm stunned. Life is short. John was an amazing man. He will be missed. God Bless him, his family and NTU.A new Facebook group called "God Bless You, John Berthoud" had already been joined by 48 members by 2 a.m. Friday.
-- RSM
Comments (5)
It is with great sadness and regret that I learn of the passing away of John Berthoud. I trust that libertarians and conservatives of all stripes share a sense of loss for one so ardent a defender of Liberty and fighter for Justice.
Posted by Michael Everling | September 27, 2007 11:32 PM
John was a class act and a real knowledgable professional. Both times I met him were very positive experiences and the country has lost a champion of liberty.
Posted by Jon Zahm | September 28, 2007 2:58 AM
John was a great combination of policy brilliance, humility and generosity. Erudite and modest. What a guy.
Posted by Greg McCarthy | September 28, 2007 9:45 AM
Such awful news, such a loss to the individuals who knew John and to the public forum as well. And how tragic and sorrowful it is for him to die at so young an age, in what should have been the middle of his very productive life. Deepest sympathies to all the NTU staff and Board, and to John's family.
Posted by Jerry Gould | September 28, 2007 12:00 PM
John Berthoud was an energetic, and effective advocate for individual liberty and limited government. He also was a kind and approachable man who never took himself too seriously. He always performed his duties with warmth and good humor. I share the shock of John's many friends and fans at his enormously untimely departure. We will miss him and strive mightily to advance the ideas to which he was so dedicated. My heartfelt condolences go out to his family and to his staff at the National Taxpayers Union.
Posted by Deroy Murdock | September 30, 2007 5:26 PM