Bob Ney went out on a high note this morning, leaving for prison on the heals of a thoughtful and poignant startlingly well-written email to his remaining friends and supporters.

my family and i have lost everything on an economical basis, house, health care, possesions, but so have other people, people in the district, many, have lost all. and yes , that is painful for anyone that has gone through it, but, i am so fortunate to have my wife and children, we are so rich with family, friends like you, loved ones that are there for us, and full of hope for a good future.

That he can profess repentance in one paragraph ("am i sorry for things that happened, absolutely"), and then in the very next paragraph compare himself to former constituents of his who have "lost all," I think, goes a long way toward explaining why he's on his way to prison in the first place.